THE JOURNALS OF THE LIVES AND TRAVELS OF SAMUEL BOWNAS, AND JOHN RICHARDSON.
LONDON PRINTED: PHILADELPHIA, Reprinted, and Sold by WILLIAM DUNLAP, at the NEWEST PRINTING-OFFICE, in Market-Street, 1759.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE, TRAVELS, AND CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES IN THE Work of the Ministry OF SAMUEL BOWNAS
LONDON Printed: Philadelphia, Reprinted, and Sold by WILLIAM DUNLAP, at the NEWEST PRINTING-OFFICE, in Market-Street, 1759.
To the Performance of which he found himself measurably prepared and qualified; for his own Experience of the Love of God, and of the Operations of his holy Spirit, in gradually purging out the Corruptions of his own Heart, did excite and augment in him a Christian Love to h [...] [...]l [...]w Creatures, attended with an Ardency of Zeal, and an incessant Desire, for their Conversion.
An inward Purgation from Sin is so necessary, and so essential a Qualification of a Gospel Minister, that no Man can be such without it;
Nor doth God send any unclean Messengers on his Errand:
It being the constant Method of his divine Wisdom, under this Gospel Dispensation, through the purging of his holy Spirit, to cleanse and purify the Inside of every Vessel, which he permits to be made Use of in the Service of his Sanctuary. Wherefore,
Every unsanctified Pretender to preach the Gospel of Christ, deserves to have his Mouth slept with that unanswerable Query of our blessed Saviour to the Pharisees of old; O Generation of Vipers, low can ye [...] being evil, speak good Thing [...] for c [...] of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh. Mat. xii. 34.
[Page v] A Practice of this Nature abounds with the grossest of Absurdities, and stands emphatically exploded, even in the Time of the Mosaicddeck Law, by the Royal Psalmist, in these Words: Unto the Wicked God faith, What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou s [...]culdest take my Covenant in thy Mouth? Psalm l. 16.
But alas! Self-Interest prompts Men to turn a deaf Ear even to the most divine Expostulations, and unholy Persons will, in despight of the most express Prohibitions, continue to intrude themselves beyond their Bounds; and will be still busying and employing themselves about external Circumstances and Ceremonies, while the L [...]e, Spirit and Substance of true Religion is placed above their Reach, and unattainable by them, until it shall please God, in the exceeding Riches of his Grace, to cleanse their Heart from all Unrighteousness; of which Conversion we heartily wish for a nearer Prospect than we can discern at present.
We now return to the Author of the ensuing Narrative, who was another Sort of Preacher; a free Giver o what himself had freely received, a liberal and open-hearted Communicator of his religious Experiences unto all other Men, without Respect of Persons.
He directed all the Sheep of Christ to follow the Voice of Christ himself, the good Shepherd, whose Omnipresence readers his Voice audible to every [Page vi] one of his Sheep, however separate or dispersed throughout the World.
His Conversation was free, generous and affable; neither did he shun the Society of those whom he was sent to convert; his Mission being somewhat correspondent to that of his Lord and Master, who declared concerning himself: I am not come to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance. Mat. ix 13.
He was of a grave Deportment, and of a tall, comely and manly Aspect: His publick Preaching was attended with such a divine Authority and majestick Innocence, as commanded the Attention of his Hearers; and his Voice being clear, strong and distinct, was capable of conveying his profitable Exhortations to the Ears and Understandings of a very numerous Auditory; of which a remarkable Instance appears in his Preaching at Jedburgh in Scotland, mentioned in Page 46, 47, of his Account.
His literal Accomplishments were but small, extending little farther than to enable him to read the Scriptures in his Mother Tongue; yet by constant Use and Application, he became thoroughly versed therein, and enabled by the Force of their Testimony, to confront and confute the Gain-sayers of his Doctrine, which was in all Points strictly agreeable to, and consonant therewith.
In the religious Society to which he was joined, he conducted himself as a Man of Peace and Prudence, [Page vii] chusing to walk in the plain and middle Path, without declining to any Extream; so that he neither idolized Forms, nor contemned good Order.
His Estimation and Repute among his Friends and Neighbours, may appear by the Testimony of the Monthly and Quarterly-meetings of Bridport in Dorsetshire, to which he belonged, given forth since his Decease, wherein they say, that ‘It pleased the Lord to endue him with a large Gift in the Ministry, in which he was a faithful Labourer, and gave himself up for that Service; that he had a Gift of Utterance superior to many, sound in Judgment and Doctrine, and very convincing to the Understandings of those that heard him.’
This Testimony concerning him is true, and a Man of his Penetration and Capacity could not but discern his own Improvement in the Gift he had received: Wherefore he stood upon his Guard, lest through Self-love and Conceit, he should depart from that Humility, which is the Ornament of every Gospel Minister, as in Page 38 he has particularly observed.
Which Christian Virtue was generally his Concomitant, during the Course of his Pilgrimage; and is remarkable in the Composure of this Account, in keeping it clear from, and unsullied with any the least Tincture or Symptom of Self-Applause.
[Page viii] As in Preaching, his Declarations proceeded from his Heart, [...]o in Writing his Relations of his Services, and his Exhortations, sprang from the same Fountain.
Wherefore we recommend to thy serious Consideration what he has written, as comprehended in that excellent Description of a good Men, given by CHRIST himself, Luke vi. 45. A good Man, out of the good Treasure of his Heart, bringeth forth that which is good.
May the Good brought forth out of this good Man's Heart effectually reach unto [...]hine, and through the divine Blessing operate to thy spiritual Benefit, Growth and Improvement in that which is good.
So shall the Design of the deceased Author, in leaving behind him this Account of his Life and Travels, be in some degree answered, and the Prefixer of this Preface shall have the End he aims at, who with sincere Desires for the saving Health and Welfare of thee and all Mankind, takes his Leave, and bids thee heartily Farewell.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE and TRAVELS OF SAMUEL BOWNAS.
I Was born in Westmoreland, within the Compass of great Strickland Monthly-meeting, about the Year 1676, and was entered in that Register; and my Father dying before I was one Month old, I never knew him, but I have been informed, that he was very honest and zealous for Truth in his Time, having been a considerable Sufferer for the Cause of Religion, both in Loss of Goods and Liberty, the Meeting being kept in his House in some of the hottest Time of Persecution in King Charles the Second's Reign. Being last so young, and my Mother having but a scanty Subsistance of about 4l. 10s. a Year, with a Dwelling for herself and two Children, I was about Thirteen put to learn the Trade of a Blacksmith, with an Uncle who used me unkindly; I was afterwards put an Apprentice to a very [Page 2] honest Friend belonging to Brigflatts Meeting, near Sedberg, in Yorkshire, his Name was Samuel Parat; but all this Time I had no Taste of Religion, but devoted myself to Pleasure, as much as my Circumstances would permit, tho' my Mother had kept me very strict while I was under her Care, and would frequently in Winter Evenings take Opportunities to tell me sundry Passages of my dear Father's Sufferings, admonishing me still so to live, that I might be worthy to bear the Name of so good a Man's Son, and not bring a Reproach on myself and Parents; also frequently putting me in mind, that if she should be taken away, I should greatly miss her, both for Advice and other Ways to assist me; and advised me to fear the Lord now in my Youth, that I might be favoured with his Blessing; which frequently brought me into great Tenderness, being afraid that she would die before I was capable to live in the World; and she took me frequently to Meetings with her, where she often had some Words in Testimony: Persecution being still very hot, and Friends lock'd out of our Meeting-house at Strickland, we met at the Door, and I remember at two several Times when I was a Child, and came to Meeting with my Mother, the Informers came, the first Time the Meeting had been over about half an Hour, the second Time not quite so much, so that we escaped their Hands both Times; but sundry Friends were in Prison at Appleby for attending that Meeting, whom my dear Mother went to visit, taking me along with her, and we had a Meeting with the Prisoners, several Friends from other Places being likewise [Page 3] there by Appointment. What I observed was, though very young, how tender and broken they were; and I was very inquisitive of my Mother, why they cried so much, (which we called Greeting) and thee greet too, (said I) why did thee? She told me that I could not understand the Reason of it then, but when I grew up more to Man's Estate I might.
Now to return to my Apprenticeship; I had a very kind loving Master and Mistress, and I had Meat enough, and Work enough, but had little Consideration about Religion, nor any Taste thereof. On First-days I frequented Meetings, and the greater Part of my Time I slept, but took no Account of I reaching, nor received any other Benefit than being there kept out of bad Company, which indeed is a very great Service to Youth. I took much Liberty in Discourse, and was taken Notice of as a witty, sensible young Man: But often on my Bed I ruminated on my Way of Life with Reluctance, yet frequently fell into the same Way again: I never was given to Swearing, nor any very gross Vice, but what I gave way to the most, was Jesting, and Turns of Wit to provoke Mirth, which gave me often (after it was over) a heavy Heart; and thus I went on for near three Years; but one First-day, being at Meeting, a young Woman, named Anne Wilson, was there and preached; she was very zealous, and fixing my Eye upon her, she with a great Zeal pointed her Finger at me, uttering these Words with mach Power, ‘A traditional Quaker, thou comest to Meeting as thou went from it (the last Time) and g [...] est from it as thou came to it, but art no better [Page 4] for thy coming, what wilt thou do in the End?’ This was so pat to my then Condition, that, like Saul, I was smitten to the Ground, as it might be said, but turning my Thoughts inward, in secret I cried, Lord, what shall I do to help it? And a Voice as it were spoke in my Heart saying, Look unto me and I will help thee! and I found much Comfort, that made me shed abundance of Tears. Then I remembered what my Mother told me some Years before, that when I grew up more to Man's Estate, I should know the Reason of that Tenderness and weeping, and so I now did to Purpose. I went home with a heavy Heart, and could neither eat nor sleep as I used to do, but my Work never succeeded better in my Hands than it did at this Time, nor my Mind never less in it; but my Conduct, as well as Countenance, was much altered, so that several in the Family were doubtful that I should fall into a kind of melancholy Distraction; but I longed for the Meeting-day, and thought it a very long Week. When the Time of Meeting came, my Mind was soon fixed and staid upon God, and I found an uncommon Enjoyment that gave me great Satisfaction, my Understanding being opened, and all the Faculties of my Mind so quick, that I seemed another Man; a divine and spiritual Sweetness abiding with me Night and Day, for some Time, and I began to see and understand the Scriptures, and the Nature of preaching the Doctrine of the Gospel in the Power and Spirit, plainly seeing a Difference between a Preacher of the Letter and of the Spirit, which till then I was wholly ignorant of, and unacquainted [Page 5] with, not having before that, the least Degree that I could perceive of divine Understanding; but then upon looking back, and considering what I had heard such and such Friends preach, which at that Time I did not understand, but now I understood it clearly, which was a plain Demonstration to me, that all divine Knowledge is from divine Light, which we can't comprehend, until we are assisted so to do by a Visitation from Heaven.
And now the Scriptures, and Ministry from the Openings of the Spirit, seemed so clear and plain to my Understanding, that I wondered that any Body remained unconvinced, supposing them to see the Truths of the Gospel in the same Light that I did; and that Saying of the Apostle, * wherein he asserts his Knowledge of the Son of God being come, from their receiving an Understanding from him, was clearly discovered to me, so that now I plainly saw a Distinction between the Children of Light, and of this World; the spiritual, and the natural Man; and that the natural Man could not receive the Things of the Spirit of God, being Foolishness to him; he can't know them, because they are known only by the Spirit, as the Apostle asserts; ‡ and I found myself much improved in divine Wisdom and saving Knowledge. As I was going to Meeting walking alone, it came very livingly into my Mind, that if I was but faithful and obedient to the heavenly Vision, I should soon be qualified to teach others, and more especially, as I saw by Experience wherein my shortness had [Page 6] been, in being contented and easy with a Form of Truth and Religion, which I had only by Education, being brought up in Plainness of both Habit and Speech; but all this, though very good in its Place, did not make me a true Christian; I was but a traditional Quaker, and that by Education only, and not from the Scriptures, because they were a Book sealed to me. And I now saw plainly that Education, though never so carefully administred, would not do the Work: although a pious Education ought by no Means to be neglected, but all Parents and Guardians ought to be stirred up to their Duty in that Respect; yet we must consider, that it is not in the Power of Parents, or the most pious Tutors to confer Grace, which is the Gift of God alone; nor can any come into the true Fold but by this Door, as said our Saviour ‡ concerning himself. Thus it plainly appeared to me, there was no other Way but this, viz. by the Spirit of Christ alone, to attain to true Faith, which works by Love, and give Victory over our Infirmities and evil Deeds, working such a Change in us, that we can in Truth from Experience say, we are born from above, ¶ and by Virtue of that Birth only, is the true Knowledge of the Kingdom, and the Things of God attained, and by no other Way or Means although never so well contriv'd by human Art: And being experimentally sensible of this Change wrought in my Mind, it look'd the more likely that I might in Time be qualified to speak to others of my own Experience [Page 7] of the Operation of the Spirit, in my Mind, not thinking the Time so near at Hand, as it appeared when I came to the Meeting; for I had not sat long therein, but a great Weight fell upon me, with some Words to speak; but I consider'd, (being willing to be my own Carver) it was too soon to undertake such a Task, being hut an Instant in Religion; not remembring the small Time between Paul [...] Conversion * and his preaching the Gospel: And my former Conduct with my Companions, (many of whom were in the Meeting at the same Time) stood much in my Way, for my Reformation was but three Weeks old that very Day, so that I reason'd thus, that so sudden a Change would hardly be borne: I could n [...] for that Time, for these Reasons give up, and the Burden was then taken from me: But after that Meeting it came upon me again with double Weight, and affected me so very greatly that I was much alone, and my Countenance so altered with Weeping, that my Master took Occasion to enquire into the Matter, how it was with me? And I gave him as plain Account as I was capable of, which he was much affected with indeed, and broke into Tears: What I feared was, that I had by Disobedience so much offended, that I should be cast off for ever: But with sundry Exhortations from Scripture and otherwise, he endeavoured to pacify me, not doubting but that I should have the like Offer made me, putting me in Mind of Gideon's Fleece,‡ &c. When next Meeting-day came, I went in great Weakness [Page 8] and Fear, and could rather have gone elsewhere, than to Meeting that Day; however, some Time after I was in the Meeting, I felt the same Concern as at the Meeting before, and I sat under the Weight of it till the Meeting was a most over, and then hardly knew how I got upon my Feet, but did, and broke out with a loud Voice in these Words, viz. ‘Fear not them which kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell. I say, fear you him who will terribly shake the Earth, that all which is moveable may be shaken and removed out of the Way, that that which is immoveable may stand.’ This was all I had to say at that Time. But oh! what Joy and Sweetness I felt afterward I can't express, and the Pleasure of my Mind appeared in my Countenance, so that my Master took Notice, and spoke of it so feelingly, that plainly demonstrated he was a Partaker with me of the same Rejoicing in himself, as at the Birth of an only Son: This was about the Year 1696, on that called Christmas-day, it falling that Year upon the First-day of the Week.
Thus having (as it may be said,) broke the Ice, the next Time was not quite so hard, but I said very little, and seldom appeared for a Year or two, having about three Years of my Apprenticeship to serve, which I did with Fidelity and Truth. The last Year of my Time, I found some considerable wording in my Mind to visit Scotland, being very rarely without some Degree of divine Virtue on my Mind, either by Night or Day; therefore I thought, if it was so with me then, it would be much more so [Page 9] when I had nothing to mind but divine Things; but I found it otherwise, of which in its Place. I may not omit, that sometime above two Years after I first spoke in Meetings, I open'd the New-Testament at that Passage spoken of by our Saviour, Mat. x. 28. to the same Effect with what was first open'd on my Mind, as mention'd above, which then I knew nothing of, as being the Sayings of Christ to warn them against the Fear of Men; altho' no doubt I had read it, but had taken so little Notice of what I read, it was to me as if it had been never writ. But it was a great Comfort to me, that I was thus opened in a material Point of Doctrine of our blessed Lord at my first setting out.
About this Time I had a Desire to visit a neighbouring Meeting called Yelland, it being the first that I ever had a Concern to visit, and desired my dear Friend Isaac Alexander, to go with me. Agreeing upon the Time, I went to Isaac's Brother's House the Seventh-day Evening before, where Isaac lived; and he and I went to visit James Wilson and his Parents that Evening: James was under Convincement, but not his Parents. We had some Conference, but being called to Supper, left off abruptly. After Supper I could not be easy without repeating my Visit, and James's Mother being very quick in the Scriptures, she desired my Judgment on those Texts in Isaiah and Peter; Behold, I create new Heavens, and new Earth, wherein dwells Righteousness. And my Understanding was opened to preach unto her the new Birth so effectually, that she was thoroughly convinced, and continued an honest Friend [Page 10] to her dying Day, going to Meeting the [...] Day, and so held on while able to attend [...]
Now my Time of Servitude being near at an End, and my Master being very willing to keep [...] in his Service, spoke to me about it, which gave me an Opportunity to open my Mind to him about any Visit to Scotland; and he then told me, to acquaint some of the Elders in the Meeting therewith, for it was needful that I should have a Certificate, to shew the Unity of the Brethren with my journey; and at accordingly I did, and had a Certificate: Isaac Alexander was my Companion, and had a Certificate likewise. So we set out; Kendal being the first Meeting, and then to Preston, Yelland, Height, Hawkeshead, and visited Part of Lancashire, and Yorkshire, in about three or four Weeks. But the Poverty of my Spirit was so exceeding great and bitter, that I could scarcely bear it, but cried out aloud, and it was so surprizing to my Companion, that we being by ourselves walking on Foot, he feared it would be too hard for me, for I complained that I was deceived or mistaken; because, while I was in my Master's Work, I rarely by Night or Day was without some Degree of divine Virtue on my Mind, but now I could feel nothing but the Bitterness of Death and Darkness; all Comfort was hid from me for a Time, and I was baptised into Death indeed. As we went along, I said to Isaac with a Vehemency of Spirit. Oh! that I was in my Master's Work again, and favoured with my former Enjoyments of divine Life, how acceptable it would be! We came at our Journey's End, to one Miles Birket's, who was more than usually kind to us; but alas! [Page 11] he did not know my State and Poverty. Next Day we went to another Meeting at Hawkeshead, it was a little better with me, but very poor; and so we performed our Journey in about a Month, and he returned to his Father's House, and I to my Master Parat's.
I being very loath to go to Scotland, having been proved with so much Poverty of Spirit, the Cup was so bitter I could hardly bear it; however, I kept my Mind to myself, and we set forward on Foot, visiting Part of Cumberland in our Way, and I thought Isaac had very fine Service, so much superior to mine, that after him I was afraid to lessen or hurt what Good he had done; and before him, I was afraid to stand in his Way. He was very much admired indeed, and some were convinced by his Ministry: We accomplished that Journey in about two Months Time. At our Return Hay-harvest came on, and I went to Mowing, and on the Meeting-days went just where my Mind led me, and grew in my Ministry very much, and the Lord let me see his Kindness to lead me through that State of Poverty, which was of great Service to qualify me to speak to others in the like Condition, and that Trials of sundry Kinds were for my Improvement and Good, tending to my Establishment in the true Root of a divine and spiritual Ministry, and the Doctrine of our Saviour and his Apostles † did much comfort me, so that I became, in the Opinion of several, an able Minister, although but short, seldom standing a [Page 12] Quarter of an Hour. But alas! I [...] I was but a meet Ba [...]e or In [...]ant in the Work.
This Summer past over and by my Harvest-work at Hay and Corn, I pick'd up a [...] Money being just penny-less before, so that I travelled to a Meeting before I got to Work 14 or 15 Miles three Times forth and back on foot all alone, with three Halfpence, being all the Money I had and thinking to refresh myself the Way, but when I came near the House of Entertainment, I found myself [...] strong and chee [...] that I thought I might want it more at another Time and so kept it.
Towards the Fall I bought a House and put myself in a Condition for another Journey with my [...] Companion Isaac again; and we thought either of us pretty sufficient to held a Meeting however. I was to go with him through B [...] [...] and Yorkshire, and he was to go with me into the West as to Wilts, Somer [...], Devenshire &c. We had not proceeded far before I was very much that up, and had no Satisfaction at all in going farther with him; I told him how it was with me, and we were both willing to part; and I went to be at York on First-day and meeting with dear John R [...]. I laid my Concern before him, and as a [...] Father he spoke very encouragingly to me, and he got Meetings appointed for me at Wetherby and so forward Towards Doncaster. I went on in great Fear, And after Meeting at Wetherby, Benjamin Bree [...] spoke very encouragingly, that the Lord would enlarge my Gifts; and when thou [...] said he, don't value thyself upon it, but give the Honour of it [Page 13] where [...] be, and keep [...] and God will bless [...], and make the [...] in his Hand. My [...] Meeting was at [...] was very much to my Comfort and Encouragement. Then to P [...] ract, where I had no Cause [...] but there was a Friend that after Meeting did [...] and find a deal of [...] with what I had said which brought some Uneasiness upon me: But being after wards told, [...] and that [...] Unity, that brought me off pretty light and [...] I went from there to the [...] on the Seventh-day it being Market-day there: I was conducted to [...] Quarter, he being in Town, who [...] came and look'd at me. I thought [...] first enquiring whence I came. and if I had a [...] To all which I gave proper Answers, and shewed him my Certificate; all this seemed agreeable, and he undertook to appoint Meeting forward and sent me home with has Son: But not having ever been so every examined before, this grew in my Mind, and fearing now I should come off. Thomas Adam being noted Minister, It was some Uneasiness; but at last he came Home and was very tender and kind indeed. Next Day, being [...], we repaired to Meeting, and I came off beyond what I expected by much preached almost an Hour, so that I was very [...]hearful in my Spirit after it and we had a [...] Opportunity in the Evening, and all ended brave and well. So the Week following I went to Bi [...] and took Meetings in course as they lay by M [...] to Nottingham. At Maple [...] there was brave old living Friend, with when I has great Comfort his Name was John [Page 14] Camn: At this Place I had the very best Meeting that I had ever had, and it had a very remarkable Effect upon me; for I began to think the Bitterness and Anguish of Death, which I had gone through before, might now be over in a great Degree, and I should go on smoother and with more Ease for [...] to come, for the Friends shewed me much P [...] [...]d and I was visited in the Evening, and Morning [...] them, by sundry that lived nigh: [...] I thought more of myself than I had done before, that I remember. Two or three of them went with me to Nottingham, seeming much pleased with my Company; it being Seventh-day, I was there on First-day at two Meetings, came off tolerable well, but not like as at Maplebeck. The Third-day following I was at Castle-dunnington, where was a fine Collection of Friends; I preach'd some Time amongst them, but found not that Authority and Life, as I thought, to attend me as before, however, I desired another Meeting with them that Evening, which was readily assented to, which was very large, considering that Place. I seemed very poor and low, and blamed myself much for appointing another Meeting in so poor and weak a Frame of Mind; the Meeting came on, and proved better than I expected: But I was very low, and it being a clear Moon-light Night, I walked into the Friend's Orchard behind his House, bemoaning myself very much, as having lost my Guide, and fallen from that happy Condition I was in the Week before: The Friend of the House finding I tarried, came out to meet me, having a Sense of my low State and Condition, [Page 15] so that, enquiring how I did, he began to speak very much in praise of these two Meetings, and of the Service I had in them. But all this did not raise my Spirits: We went [...]n but he perceived I was very low, and he and his Wife endeavour'd to comfort me, his Wife had a fine Gift of the Ministry, and she told me some Experiences she had gone through, but all did not do, nor come near my Condition. Next Day I went to Swannington in Leicestershire, and there was a fine Body of Friends again, and I had not sat long, before I felt, as I to ought, as good an Authority to preach as ever, and stood up, not doubting an open, satisfactory Meeting: But I had not stood above fifteen, if so many, Minutes, until all was shut up, and it seemed as though both the Sun and Air were darkened. I sat down under a great Cloud, to think what I should d [...], appealing to God, as having no ill Design, but much otherwise, and earnestly in secret desiring Help; and immediately, as though a Voice had spoken intelligibly ‘Thou runs, and God has not sent thee; thou speaks, but God don't speak by thee; therefore thou shalt not profit the People.’ It may be thought I was bad before, but much worse now, I being under the very H [...]ur [...] and Power of Death and Darkness, being at my Wits-end what to do; and under this great Temptation divers Ways presented such as my turning myself out of the Line of Friends, which I found would be somewhat hard to do, by reason I always had a Guide from one Place to another: Then to turn Home again, and by that Method I might get rid of Friends as Guides, [Page 16] and make the best of my Way to some Port in Ireland, sell my Horse, and get Work (where I was not known) at my Trade: But then the Honour of the Monthly-meeting, that had given me so good a Certificate, would be affected by my so doing: And having considered of sundry Ways to take, at last this presented, to make away with myself in some River or Pond, as though it had been an Accident, and this would cover all. Thus for a Time I was bewildered, not seeing where I was; but since it plainly appeared I was under the Influence of the Spirit of Antichrist. Thus begging heartily for Help, I fell on my Knees, and prayed with that Fervency, that few under the Roof but were melted into Tears, and it was such a Time as I never had before nor since in Prayer, as I remember: Thus that Meeting ended. Next I went to a Town called Hinckley, and there was a considerable Number of Friends and other People; I was extremely low and poor, but had a comfortable Meeting, that much healed me, and set me to rights again.
Then I visited Leicestershire pretty generally, and there was a Woman of some Account (her Name was Jemimah Mountney) who was convinced, and she was with me at sundry Meetings, and was exceeding tender and loving, being throughly reached and satisfied. When we parted, she was so open-hearted that I was called aside by her, and after having said something to me about her inward Condition, she offered me some Pieces of Gold, which I told her, I durst not touch; she very courteously, and with a becoming genteel Mein, told me, she was [Page 17] both able and willing, and as she had no other Way, that she could shew her Gratitude for that spiritual Good she had received by my Ministry, she could do no less than that, beseeching that I would receive it, as the true Token of her Love and Respect. In answer, I said, it was what I never had done, nor could I now do it, but all the Reward I desired and expected was, that she might carefully, with a sincere Heart, endeavour that her Obedience did keep pace with her Knowledge, the hearing of which would much rejoice my Soul: We parted in great Love and Tenderness. I heard that sundry others were convinced in that Neighbourhood. A very honest Friend, whose Name was Brooks, took great Pains to get the seeking People to Meeting, and I was very much enlarged in pertinent Matter, suitable to the States of such seeking Souls.
Out of Leicestershire, being very well rewarded for the Bitterness I suffered before I came into it (which, as before, was as much as I could bear) I passed into Warwickshire, and had some good Opportunities in that Country, as at Warwick and sundry other Places. I found I often hurt myself by speaking too fast, and too loud, against which I endeavoured to guard as much as I could; but oft, when I felt my Heart filled with the Power of divine Love, I was apt to forget myself and break out; I found it proper therefore to stop, and after a short Pause, with some secret snort Prayer for Preservation, and that I might be supplied with Matter and Power, that might do the Hearers good. Thus I went on, and grew sensibly in Experience and judgment, and became in some small Degree skilful in dividing of the [Page 18] Word. I had been straitned in my Mind respecting searching the Scriptures, lest I should thereby be tempted to lean upon them, and by gathering either Manna or Sticks on the Sabbath-day, Death would ensue; but at last I had Freedom to examine the Text, and to consider where the Strength of the Argument lay, both before and after the Words I had repeated: By which Conduct I saw I was often very defective, in not laying hold the most suitable Part to confirm the Subject or Matter I was upon, and this Conduct did me great Service: But then another Difficulty stood in my Way, which was this; some former Openings would come up, which I durst not meddle with, lest that by so doing I should become formal, and lose that divine Spring which I had always depended upon; but the Lord was pleased to shew me, that old Matter, opened in new Life, was always new, and that it was the Renewings of the Spirit alone which made it new, and that the principal Thing I was to guard against was, not in my own Will to endeavour to bring in old Opening, without the Aid of the Spirit; and that if I stood single and resign'd to the divine Will, I should be preserved from all Error of this Nature.
Out of Warwickshire I travelled into Worcestershire, visiting sundry Meetings in that County, and found a fresh Supply every Day. I was at Worcester on First-day, and after the Meeting in the Forenoon, an ancient Friend examined me very closely, after Meeting was over, from whence I came, and for a Certificate; to all which I gave him Answers: My Certificate being at my Quarters in my Saddle-bag, he [Page 19] could not then see it; but I had a very good Meeting as I thought, and my Landlord William [...], a brave sensible Elder, advised me not to be [...] at the old Friend's examining me so, fo [...] said he, he does so to every Stranger. We went to Meeting in the Afternoon, which was very large, and I was largely opened, and had, as I thought, very good Service; but the old Friend, after the Meeting, was upon me in the same Strain to see my Certificate, but I had it not then about me neither, at which he seemed much displeased: I made no Reply, but told him, I was very willing he should see it; but my Landlord took him up, and told him, he thought the young Man had already shown us his best Certificate in both the Meetings: but nevertheless (said he) come to my House in the Evening, and thou shalt see it: So we parted. My Landlord thought he had shewed himself disagreeable in his Conduct, and fearing it would be an Uneasiness to me, spoke very tenderly, and like a nursing Father encouraged me, by saying I could not shew him a better Confirmation that I was anointed for the Ministry, than I had already done. So in the Evening, alter it was dark, he and many other Friends came; but my Landlord, the old Friend and I, went aside, and I let him see what he desired so much to see; he read it, being much pleased with it, and knowing sundry Friends that had signed it, enquired after them. We went to our Friends again, who were much increased in Number, and we had a heavenly Season, being throughly baptized together: We parted in great [Page 20] Love and Sweetness, and the old Friend was exceeding kind.
From thence I went into Gloucestershire, and visited Part of that County, by Tewkesbury to Cheltenham, Gloucester, Payneswick, Nailsworth, and Tedbury. I had sundry good Opportunities: One young Woman was convinced at Tedbury, that became a very good Friend.
From thence into Willshire and Hampshire, as far as Ringwood, and to Pool and Weymouth; called at Wareham and Corfe, had a Meeting at each Place, but nothing worthy noting at either of them: So I travelled to Bridport, Lyme, Membury, Chard and Crewkern, and back to Somerton, Puddimore, Masson to a Funeral, and to Yeovil on First-day; thus having visited Somersetshire, I went away into Devonshire as far as Exeter; then turned up towards Taunton, taking Meetings in my Way towards Bristol, but nothing happened of Weight.
I staid in Bristol, and visited Meetings about the City near five Weeks, and from thence I found my Mind was much drawn to visit Wales, and I took the Quarterly-meeting of Hereford in my Way, which was held annually at Amelly, and there I met with my dear Friend Isaac Alexander: We were glad to see each other, as well as to hear each other, which when we did, it appeared to me that Isaac was improved considerably, and he said the same of me, observing, that I preached the practical Doctrine of the Gospel, he thought, more than he did; for his preaching was very much in Comparisons and Allegories, which he apprehended was [Page 21] not so plain and easy to the Understandings of the Vulgar, as what I had to say. We had now an Opportunity of opening our Minds to each other, which was of great Service to us both, having sundry Meetings together, and we had Drawings for the Yearly-meeting at Glannedless in Wales: This Opportunity seemed very agreeable to us; there were sundry Friends of note, Benjamin, Bangs, and others out of Cheshire; the People came, in Abundance, and at Times were very rude, but in the main it was a serviceable Meeting. After that I visited Wales, appointing from the Yearly-meeting sundry Meetings, as far as was thought proper at once, and a good old Friend, Philip Leonard, offered to be my Companion, which was of great Service to me. I was very poor and low at most Meetings in that Journey, by reason but few of the People could well understand what I said in sundry Places: But Philip stood up after I had done, and in part interpreted what I had said, but I did not seem to be quite easy in my Mind.
Isaac went to Bristol Yearly-meeting, and was very zealous against unnecessary Fashions and Superfluities in both Sexes, insomuch, that some thought he did, in his Words against them, exceed the Bounds of Modesty: But he might plead the Example of the Prophet Isaiah in that respect*. But the chief Objection was, concerning his prophesying of a great Mortality, which the Lord was about to bring as a Judgment upon the People, for their Pride and Wickedness; which he thought it his [Page 22] Duty to deliver in their Yearly-meeting as a Warning for all to mind their Ways, le [...]t being taken unprepared their L [...]ts should be irreparable: Which he did in such strong and positive Terms, that Friends were afraid he was too much exalted in [...] Upon which some of the Elders thought proper to converse with, and examine him concerning this extraordinary Message which he had delivered: But what he said to them, not being satisfactory, they advised him to proceed no farther on his Journey, but to return Home; which he did under great Trouble, and was there received in much Love and Tenderness, and appeared in his Gu [...] very excellent, and grew in divine Wisdom and Power, being of great Service in the Ministry wherever he came. And he having a Concern to [...] the Churches abroad, and acquainting some of our Elders therewith, they thought it not proper for him to go, till something was done to satisfy the Friends of Bristol; and upon their Enquiry of Isaac, he gave them a single and honest Account how it was with him at that Time respecting his Concern: So Friends took it in hand, and wrote to Bristol, neither justifying nor condemning him, but recommended Charity and Tenderness towards him. And from Bristol, Friends answered, that With upon Arms they could receive him, believing him to be a sincere young Man, who intended very well; and they were glad he took their Admonition rights, and had owned it had been of Service to him. Thus ended this Affair, and Isaac said, he could not think hard of his Brethren in doing what they did, though he could [Page 23] not then see that he had missed his Way, in delivering that Prophesy: Thus shewing forth a lively Instance of a warm Zeal, tempered with a due Regard to the Sense and Advice of his Brethren and Elders, and the Under of the Church, which doubtless tended to his own Comfort and Preservation.
When I heard of it, I look it so much to heart, that it was almost too much for me, and a Concern came upon me to go to London with the like Message, but with this Caution; first, to advise with some faithful Brethren before I delivered it: And I wrote to Isaac to let him know it, which gave him great Ease. Accordingly I went to London, and got sundry Brethren together, viz. James Dickinson, J. B [...]dead, Peter Fearon, B. Bangs, Robert Hardock, and some others, and give them a plain and honest Amount how it came upon me, which was not till after I heard how my dear Companion was returned Home from Bristol; adding, that I had acquainted Isaac how it was with me, that he might know my Sympathy with him, The Friends seeing what he had wrote, found there was a strong Sympathy between us, and very justly supposed, that to be the moving, if not only, Cause of the Concern I was under, and very tenderly advised me to keep it in my own Breast, till I found how the Lord would order it; for, if he was the Author, I should find more of it; if not, it would die of course: But if I found it grew upon me, I should let any of them know it, and they would consider what Steps to take in a Matter of so great Consequence, as going forth in a Prophesy of that Nature. And the fatherly [Page 24] Kindness they shewed me was very affecting to me, one or other of them making it their Business to visit me every Day; and, as they said, I found the Concern went off, and I became easy without publishing it.
After this I had divers very acceptable Opportunities in London, during the Time of the Yearly-meeting, and afterwards visited Friends towards Leeds in Yorkshire, and in my Way thither had very agreeable Service in both the Counties of Leicester and Nottingham, and at sundry other Places.
From Leeds I went to the Yearly-meeting at York, which was very large, and many public Friends; but I was hid, as it were, and made very little Appearance at that Meeting.
From thence I travelled homewards, visiting Friends as I went, and was gladly received by them. And I found my Ministry very acceptable; as it increased upon me, I was very humble and low in Mind, knowing therein my Strength consisted, and Safety from Temptation.
I was new in a Strait, what Course to take to get a little Money; my Linen and Woolen both wanting to be repaired, I met with a young Man newly set up in his Trade, with whom I proposed to work, and he was ready to comply with my Offer, supposing it would be a Means to improve him: So we agreed, and I begun with him, and found it answered much better than Harvest-work, so that I stored myself with a little Cash soon, and worked hard all that Summer, and in the Fall of the Year prepared myself for a Journey with my good old Friend Joseph Baines.
[Page 25] We set out the latter End of the Sixth Month, and visited some Parts of Yorkshire, and so into Lincolnshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, and we did very well together; only I was afraid, that Friends took so much Notice of me, he would be uneasy; but he was so entirely innocent, and had so much of the Lamb in him, that he never did, that I could find, shew any Uneasiness, more than to give me a Caution with a Smile; Sammy, said he, (for I was mostly called so) thou hadst need take care, Friends admire thee so much, thou dost not grow proud; and indeed the Caution was very seasonable, as well as serviceable to me; which I saw and did acknowledge. This Joseph was (it might be said) an Israelite indeed, as meek as a Lamb, not great in the Ministry, but very acceptable, especially amongst other People, having a meek, quiet, easy Delivery, mostly in Scripture Phrases, with which he was well furnished, repeating them with very little or no Comment upon them, which some admired very much; and he had great Service at Funerals, being in a peculiar Manner qualified for such Services: But he receiving an Account of some Troubles in his Family, it brought a very great Uneasiness upon him and he returned Home. But I visited most of the Meetings over again, and so I returned into Huntingtonshire, Northamptonshire, and so towards Dorsetshire, and Somersetshire, visiting Meetings as I went through Part of Oxfordshire. I had many Meetings, sometimes fourteen in a Week, and generally to Satisfaction. In almost every Parish where a Friend lived, we had a Meeting, besides which [Page 26] sundry offered their Houses, who were not Friends, which we embraced. I came through Part of Hampshire and Warwickshire, and to back again to Hampshire, visiting Friends, and had many Meetings in Places where none had been, and the People were much inclined, who were not Friends, to have Meetings at their Houses in many Places, and would desire Friends to conduct me to their Houses: So that although I was entirely unknown to most, yet there was very great Willingness to receive the Doctrine of Christ; and sundry, I found afterwards, were convinced, by Accounts I received from Friends. The Teachers of the national Way, and Dissenters also, were much disturbed, and threatned what they would do, and that they would come and dispute; and some of them came several Times, and got out of Sight, where they could hear and not be seen; but never any gave me the least Disturbance all that Journey; but some would say I was a Cheat (viz.) a Jesuit in disguise; others, that I was brought up for the Pulpit, and for some Misdemeanor suspended; and so they varied, according to their Imaginations: But I was very easy in my Service, and found my Heart very much enlarged; some of the People took me to have a good Share of Learning, which, although it was false, served for a Defence against some busy Fellows, who thought they could dispute about Religion and Doctrine, which I always endeavoured to avoid as much as possible, seldom finding any Advantage by such Work, but that it mostly ended in cavilling, and a Strife of Words.
[Page 27] I went through Part of Dorsetshire, and at Sherborne an old Friend was sick, and expected to get over that Illness, and it came into my Mind he would die of that Sickness, and that I must be at his Funeral, and preach with my B [...] in my Hand. This made me shrink, as fearing it was the Fruit of imagination, but I kept it to myself, and had many Meetings about those Parts, as at Yeavik, Puddimore, Masson, We [...]on, &c. Besides this, a young Woman, which afterwards became my Wife, had strong hold of my Affections, and I had acquainted her Parents therewith, and had Liberty from them to lay it before their Daughter, which I did; although at the same Tune it was upon me to visit America before I entered into the State of Wedlock, which I also gave her to understand; for I had reasoned in my own Mind, that it might be better to let it rest until my Return, if I lived; but in answer to that, thus it appeared, that I might have some offers there that might be a Snare to me, and by this prior Engagement I might be freed from all Temptations or Offers of that kind; for if it once was known there, that I was already engaged, even that would command Silence on that Account; so on this Consideration I made my Suit to her, who received it with such Modesty and Sweetness as was very engaging and obliging to me: But she had an Uncle, on whom she had some Dependance, who seemed much averse to it, and would have his Niece left at Liberty, that if any Thing offered in my Absence she might embrace it; Which I very readily complied with; then he was pleased, only he [Page 28] would have me leave it under my Hand, which also I was very ready to do; and more, that is, to stand bound myself, and leave her at Liberty: To which she objected, as unreasonable on her Part to desire such a Thing from me. So we parted, and I went to Street, Glastonbury, Burnham, Sidcoat, Clareham, and Bristol, having let slip out of my Memory the old Friend's Sickness at Sherborne; but I had not been many Hours in Bristol before a Messenger came to desire Benjamin Coole to attend the Funeral, and Benjamin came to me to Brice Webb's, where I lodged, and told me how it was, and desired me to go; but I pleaded sundry Excuses, first, my Horse was not fit, with other Objections, which were all removed. And accordingly I went to Bruton next Day, being the Seventh-day of the Week, and was at that small Meeting on First-day. The Funeral was on Second-day, which was exceeding large. John Beere from Weymouth being there, had something to say, but not much: Then, as it was with me, I pulled my Bible out of my Pocket, and opened it; upon which the People gave most Attention than they had done before, and I had a very acceptable Time, often in the Course of my Matter referring to the Text for Proof, and giving an ample Testimony of the Value We put upon the Scriptures, earnestly pressing the careful reading of them, and advising to consider what they read, and to seek the Lord, by Prayer, for Assistance and Power, that they might practice what they read, which was the ultimate End of reading, as well as the hearing of Preaching, for [Page 29] without Practice, it would avail but little; with other Advice to the same Effect. And there being sundry Teachers of several Societies, one of them a Baptist, took hold of me after Meeting was ended, and desired some Conversation with me: I looked at him earnestly, and desired to know if he had any Objection against any Part of what I had said? if thou hast, said I, (speaking with an audible Voice, that stopt many of the Company) this is the most proper Place, the People being present; for they thronged about us very much: This made him confess, that what he had heard was sound, and according to Scripture, being very well proved from the Text; but he desired some private Discourse between ourselves at my Quarters, if I would permit it. I told him he might, I quartered at Richard Fry's; and Richard being present, told him he should be welcome to come to his House, and so we parted: And when I came to Richard's, he said, we should hear no more of him, for that he had in his Discourses amongst his Hearers, spoken many very unhandsome Things against the Quakers, endeavouring to unchristian them, and prove them Heathens in denying the Ordinances: (A common Plea used by all our Adversaries) But this Upstart carried the Matter farther than some others did, by adding, that we denied the Scriptures, and also would not allow of a Bible in any of our Meetings, nor did our Preachers ever use a Bible to prove any thing there from, that we preached to the People; (with more to the same Purport) and as many of his Hearers were there, my appearing with a [Page 30] Bible, and so often referring to the Text for Proof, did no doubt put him and them also upon a Thought, what had been preached before by him, amongst them, concerning the Quakers, which now appeared to be a manifest Untruth by what they had both seen and heard that Day: However, to be short, as Richard Fry thought, so it proved; for he did not come at all near me, and so that went off well, and Truth was exalted above Lies and Falshood.
I returned back to Bristol well contented, being filled with Peace and Consolation. At my return I gave my Friends Benjamin Cook, and some others, a Relation of my Conduct, and Benjamin was much pleased I went there, and repealed what he had said before to perswade me to go, adding, he was pretty much assured it was my Place to go; but that if he had known how it came into my Mind to preach with the Book in my Hand, although in the Sequel it proved right, yet he should have been afraid that more of Imagination than Revelation was in it; therefore that would rather have backened him, than have been any Argument for him to have pressed my going so much as he did, by reason that he had found some Mistakes committed from such Sights, which proved to be but Imaginations: And he gave me very suitable Advice, to take care how I too easily embraced such Things for Truth, without a due Trial, and that it was not displeasing to Heaven, to try the Spirit from whence such Things proceeded.
I staid in and about Bristol three Weeks, Visiting the Meetings round the City, but on First-days I [Page 31] was mostly in the City, and it being the Winter Fair, Meetings were very large: But on the Third-day Meeting in the Fair Week, there was a Man out of Wiltshire, a Separate, named Arthur Ismead, who stood up to preach, and was speaking of the Light: He put forth a Question about bringing our Deeds to the Light; adding, do I bring my Deeds to the Light? A worthy Elder, named Charles Harford, answered, No, thou dest not: If thou didst, thou wouldst not do as thou dost. I sat all this Time under a very great Concern, and the Word was in me like Fire; so I stood up, and with a strong and powerful Voice began to preach, he crying out, that he had not done; but I took no Account of that, but went on, and he soon sat down and fell asleep, and we had a blessed edifying Meeting that Day, and Truth was exalted above Error. After this Meeting I was clear of the City, and visited some Parts of Glocestershire, Worcestershire, Darbyshire, Cheshire and Lancashire, but nothing happened worthy of any great note, save only, in many Places I had very large open quiet Meetings, and when I found myself very high and full, I then expected low Times again, for I but very seldom was drawn forth in Doctrine, and enlarged more than common, but Maplebeck would come in my Way, and the uncommon Temptation and Trial I underwent after that Meeting, which did not arrive to its Height until I came to Swannington in Leicestershire, as is before hinted. I reached Home about the latter End of the First Month, and staid with my dear Friend Robert Chambers Part of that Summer, helping [Page 32] him and his Brother-in-Law John Moore at Gale, mowing more Days this Year than I ever did in one before. But John Bowstead and Peter Fearon had a Meeting appointed for them at a Place called Goose-green, between Kendal and Millthrop, to which Meeting there was a very great Resort; and being desired to attend it, I did, and in the Beginning of the Meeting I spoke something of the universal Love of God to Mankind. After which a Friend went on with the same Subject, and inferred from the Text something more than it would bear, so that a young Man who taught School at Beatham, (a small Parish in that Neighbourhood) took him up after the Meeting was over, and having the Advantage of the Argument, did endeavour to bear the Friend down. I was with some others gone to see the Horses got ready for our Return, but being called, got with Difficulty into the House, which was much crowded, (the Meeting being held in the open Ground without the House) and when got in and heard them, I soon found where the Pinch was; the Friend had said what the Text would not bear him out in, in quoting Obadiah the 10th Verse, compared with Romans the 9th Chapter and 11th Verse: I observed that he went too far in Expression, when I heard it, and repeating the Words more than twice, the young Man had them very plain. I waited some Time, and then desired Liberty of the young Man to ask him a Question, the answering of which might bring the Argument to a Point; adding, not that I thought myself so capable to maintain that Argument as my Friend wa [...] He gave [Page 33] gave my [...], and my Question was, Whether he [...] W [...]on and Mercy, [...] as by his Argument they [...] of, which because of that [...] He seen very frankly gave Answer, He did not [...] it. I then asked him, Why [...] argued against his own Faith and Judgement For although he took Advantage of my Friend's Words, not being so well guarded as they might have been, yet that was no just Ground to argue against his own Judgment. And thus this Arguments drops, and then he took up Baptism, But [...] finding himself not able to support what he undertook t [...] prove by the Text, viz. Infant-Baptism he confest that he was not qualified to maintain his Argument, and therefore requested that we would favour him to confer on that Subject on Wednesday next, in the Room where he taught School, with the Minister of their Parish; withal adding, it might be of Service both to him and others. My Friends were very much for it, and I was not against it provided they would go and assist: For I looked on myself very unequal to such a Task as this was like to be. However, after some Discourse betwixt ourselves. I consented, on Condition that [...] the School-master of Kendal would be my Second, he being well acquainted with, and understanding both the Greek and Latin Testament, might help me against being imposed upon by any false Gloss or Interpretation put upon the Text to prove their Argument: [...] told the young Man we would endeavour to answer his Request, by [Page 34] being with him on Fourth-day by Nine in the Meaning, he was glad to he discharged for the present, for I had not seen one went more freely than he did, being in a very great Agony, he could not forbear thanking as he stood by the Table: And thus we parted for this Time very good Friends. But I grew uneasy fearing have it would End, and blamed my Friends for bringing me into this Scrape, and not assisting in [...] but [...] me to dispute with I knew not who, but all I got was, that they doubted not but I would be assisted to come off well, of which I was very [...], and it hindered me of some House Set up.
When the Time come, my Friend John Jepson, and two more were with me; we come pretty early, rather before than after the Time appointed; and the young Man had got [...] Room, and two Elbow-Chairs ready, for the Parson and myself, but I was not willing to sit in either, being [...] than Friend Jepson, but to avoid Words about it, I sat down in one; the young Man [...] the Parson we were come, and he came to us, scraping and bowing, and the [...] we [...], because he saw we did not answer him in the same Way. After he sat down, previous to what we met about, he would needs have it, that I challenged a Dispute with him; to which I could not agree: But referring myself to the young Man, I desired that he would inform his Neighbour of the true Cause of our coming there; which he did very handsomely, to the Effect following in very decent Language, viz. ‘Sir, Meeting last Sabbath-day with this Gentleman, [Page 35] we fell into a Conference about Infant- [...], supposing that I was able from Scripture to prove that Practice; but on Trial, finding myself [...] able to hold the Argument, shut it up: Therefore being perswaded, and believing you, Sir, to be intimately more able to defend the Practice of our Church, than I was, I desired this Gentleman to favour me to much, as to come and confer with you, Sir, on this Subject, in my hearing, that I might have this Matter set in a true Light; and I beg your Pardon, Sir, hoping that this modest Request to the Gentleman is not offensive to you, and I will assure you, it is a great Pleasure to me.’ Thus having made his Apology, the Priest being a hasty passionate Man, began; You Quakers are not fit to be disputed with, because that you deny the Scriptures, the Ordinances of Baptism, and the Supper of our Lord.
I addressed myself to the young Man, to inform the Parson that Infant-Baptism [...] called) was the present Point to be considered; which he did in few Words, and very well, but it was to no Purpose: The Priest would go on in his own Way, calling us Her [...]cks, Schls [...]cks, Heathens, and what not, bestowing freely such Reflections upon us as came into his Head; and having gone on in this rambling Way for some Time with his unbecoming Language, I requested, that he would hear me without Interruption as I had him; and then I put him in Mind of his old Age, (he having a comely Personage, and fine white Locks) and that he had more Experience, it might with Reason be supposed, [Page 36] than we young Men had; and supposing that thou mayst be right, and that may be in Error, yet [...] this, in my Opinion, thou must be wrong in thy Conduct towards us, in being so liberal to give us hard Names, and shew no Reason for thy to doing. Here I was broke in upon with a kind of Violence, That all the Disciples and Apostles had a Commission to teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of Father, Son and Holy G [...]d. Do you confute this or own it? I urged, No water is named in that Text; and besides, that Text should be rendered, into the Name of the Father, Son, &c.
Here the young Man, and my Friend Jopson, searched both the Latin and Greek, agreeing that it was more proper to render it into the Name, than in the Name, &c. Then, if that was right, as it was my Opinion it was, it was plain to me, that the Materials of that Baptism could not be elementary Water, therefore I could see nothing in this Text to prove the Practice of sprinkling Infants, or Infant-Baptism. Here I war interrupted with great Warmth again: The Parson urging, that the Disciples, primitive Ministers, and Apostles, all had a Commission in Matthew xxviii. which by Succession was to continue to the End of the World; and this Baptism was with Water, for the Apostles could not baptize with the Holy Ghost. In Answer I said, When Peter, at the House of Cornelius, * began to speak, (as appears by his own Account) the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the Beginning, said Peter; from which it is plain, that Teaching by Direction of the Spirit being prior to Baptism the Baptism of the Holy [Page 37] Ghost was the Consequence of such Teaching. But this did not please the Parson; but he in Answer said. Thus undoubtedly the Commission in Mat. xxviii. was Water, it could be nothing else: What are you wiser than all our [...], who have understood, ever [...] the first Ministers, this Text to mean no other but Water? accordingly we have so Practised. I queried, if he thought the Text meant outward elementary Water: He said, he did. I desired to know his Reason for so believing. He answered, The Practice of the Apostles in pursuance of that Commission which all had. I then queried, if he thought Paul, was included in that Commission? He granted that he was, and by Virtue of his Commission be baptized many. But I desired they would turn to the Text, 1 Cor. 1. 17. where the Apostle plainly says, Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel; and in the foregoing Verses he thanks God, he baptized no more, &c. Besides, allowing that they did baptize with (or more properly in) Water, yet this argues nothing in proof of sprinkling, nor is there any, either Precept or Precedent for it, in all the Bible. At this the Parson stood up in a Passion, told us we were no Christians, nor fit to be conversed with as such, and left us in a Rage without any Ceremony.
Now the young Man acknowledged, that the Minister (as he stiled him) was not able to defend his own Practice from Scripture, and desired that we would lend him some Books treating on that Subject, and others, in which we differed from them and other Dissenters in Point of Religion. [Page 38] We agreed to let him have W. Penn's Key, R. Barclay's Apology, and some others, upon applying himself for them to John Jepson, his Brothen School-master. He was thoroughly convinced, and likely to make a good Man; he had several Enemies, amongst which the Parson was not the least: But he shortly after this sickened and died.
And now to return; I was very diligent in following the Harvest Work, both at mowing and reaping, and diligently observing my Gift, to attend such Meetings as I was inclined to; and I found I grew in my Gift, that I could see and discern myself: But then I would check myself for such Thoughts, seeing them by no means proper to have a Place in my Heart, left that Humility, which is the Ornament of every Gospel Minister, should be departed from thorough Self-Love and Conceit, by which I might be brought to have a better Opinion of myself than any of my Neighbours had; which, if given way to, would eat out all that Respect that my Brethren and the Church had for me; and by this foolish Pride and Conceit, the Hearts of Friends would be shut against me, and I should lose my Place and Interest in them.
Now I had but one Journey more to make into Scotland, before my going, (or at least intending to go) into America, of which in its Place.
An ACCOUNT of my JOURNEY into Scotland, in the WORK of the MINISTRY, begun the 11th of the Eighth Month 1701.
I Had for my Companion in this Journey, a young Man who had a fine Gift, his Name was Isaac Thompson: We visited sundry Meetings in our Way to Carlisle, finding our Understandings much enlarged in the Openings of divine Truths, and our Service grew upon us, and we went on with Boldness and chearful Minds, meeting in our Way with our dear and worthy Friend James Dickenson. who was intending a Visit into Ireland: And in our Journey from the Border to Dumfries, we had very profitable Conversation of good Service to us both, because we, by reason of Youth, and want of Experience, were often very weak, and doubting whether we were right or not in the Work; so that this our dear Friend, by his tender and fatherly Care over us, and Advice to us, was of great Encouragement, in letting us know how weak and poor he often found himself; which so much answered my Condition, that it was as Marrow to my Bones. When we came to Dumfries, after we had taken some Refreshment at our Inn, James said to us, Lads, I find a Concern to go into the Street, will you go with me? For he thought it might only be to shew himself, and was desirous that we might go all together, being five in Number: so we walked forth, and the Inhabitants gazed upon us, for the Quakers were seldom seen in that Town so many [Page 40] together; and several came after us, and James lifted up his Voice like a Trumpet among the People, who were very quiet and attentive. When he was clear, we retired back to our Inn, and divers followed us, who were very rude and wicked, but were not permitted to hurt us. We had sweet Comfort and Refreshment one in another at our Quarters. Next Morning we took Leave, and parted, he went for Port-patrick, and we visited the Meetings, though very small, until we came to Hamilton, where we were finely refreshed with a small Handfulof living Friends; and so to Glosgow, where the People were rude, but something better than in Times past, not being so uncivil to us in the Streets; thence to Kinneel, Lithgew, and so over the Water on our Journey Northward, taking Boroughstowness and Ury in our Way to Aberdeen Quarterly-meeting, where we found Friend; in a sweet Frame of Spirit, being in dear Unity one with another. We had sundry Meetings with them to our good Satisfaction, and had some other Meetings farther North, as at Inverary, Killmuke, Aworthies, &c. Then back to Ury by Aberdeen, taking our Journey to Edinburgh, visiting the small Meetings, and some other Places we inclined to visit in our Way thither; we had but one little Meeting there, and then went for Kelso, where we staid with them two Meeting on the First-day of the Week, and in the Evening Friends there laid before us the Desire they had for our going to Jedburgh, a Town about seven Miles from them, and not much out of our Way to England: We considered the Matter, but not the Exercise [Page 41] that might attend us in going there; so next morning we went, and when we came to the Town, (Samuel Re [...]son being our Guide) the Landlord at the Inn would not give us Entertainment; but we went to another [...] the Landlord took us in, withal telling us, how indecently the Minister had raised against the Quakers the Day before, asserting they were the Dev [...]'s [...], and that by his Assistance they did in their Proceeding what was done, with very many vile Words; but observing one of his Hearers taking what he said in short-hand, he called out, charging him not to write what he spoke at random against the Quakers; with much more to the same Effect. However, we called for some Refreshment, but my Mind was under so much Concern, I could neither ear nor drink: We called to pay for what we had, and we gave the Landlord Charge of our Horses and Bags, whereby he suspected that we were going to preach: he took me by the Hand, and begg'd that we would not go into the Street, but preach in his House, and he would have his Family together, and they would hear us. I look'd steadily upon the poor Man, who trembled very much, telling him, we thought it our Place and Duty to preach to the Inhabitants of the Town; and thinkest thou (said I to him) we shall be clear in the Sight of God (whom we both fear and serve) by preaching to thee and thy Family, what we are required to preach to the People in the Town? The poor Man I found was smitten in himself, and his Countenance alter'd greatly, but he made this Reply; Is this the Case, Sir? I said it was. Then, said he, [Page 42] go, and God preserve and bless you; but I fear the Mob will pull down my House for letting you have Entertainment, and kill you for your good Will. I bid him not fear; for he whom we served was above the Devil, and that not a Hair of our Heads should be hurt without his Permission. He then seemed pacified to let us go, and followed at a Distance to see our Treatment.
The chief Street was very broad, with a considerable Ascent, and near the Head of the Ascent was a Place made to cry Things on, to which we then walked, where we paused a little, but I had nothing to do there at that Time; returning back to the Market-cross, which was at the Foot of the Hill, for that had an Ascent of three or four Steps, and a Place to sit on at the Top, where we sat down; but we had not sat long before a Man came to us with a Bunch of large Keys in his Hand, and took me by the Hand and said, I must go into the Tal [...]oth, (meaning the Prison) I asked him, for what? He said, for Preaching. I told him, we had not preach'd. Ay! but quoth he, the Provost (meaning the Mayor) has ordered me to put you in the Telbooth. For what? I again replied. I tell you for Preaching. I told him, I did not know whether we should preach or not; but it was soon enough to make Prisoners of us when we did preach. Ay! says he, I ken very weel that you'll preach by your Lords. Thus we argued the Matter, he endeavouring to pull me up, and I to keep my Place, and when he found I was not easily moved, he turned to my Companion, who likewise was unwilling to be confined, and [Page 43] then he went to Samuel Robinson, our Guide, who was easily prevailed on to go; and the easier, for that he had been there but the Week before with two Friends, viz. John Thomson and Thomas Brathwaite, both of our County of Westmoreland. By this Time we had a large Assembly, and Samuel Robinson supposing we should have a better Conveniency to preach to them in the Prison, as the Friends afore-named had the Week before, we were conducted there, just by the Cross where we held the Parly, and put in at the Door: But Samuel Robinson soon saw his Mistake, for the Week before the Windows of the Prison were all open, nothing but the Iron Gates in the Way, the Windows being very large for the sake of Air, but now all made dark, and were strongly fasten'd up with Deals. We had been but a short Time there, before a Messenger came to offer us Liberty, on Condition we would depart the Town without preaching; but we could make no such Agreement with them, and so we told the Messenger. A little after he was gone, I wrote the following Lines to the Provost.
IT is in my Mind to write these few Lines to thee, the Provost of this Town of Jedburgh, to let thee understand that our coming within thy Liberties, is not to disturb the Peace of your Town, nor to preach false Doctrine or Heresy (as is by your Teachers maliciously suggested, whose Interest it is, as they suppose, to make the People believe it) but in Obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, whose Servants we are, for he hath bought [Page 44] us with his most precious Blood; and [...] are no more our own, but h [...] that has brought us, whose Power is an unlimited Power, and all Power is limited by him, so his Power is not to be limited by any other Power; therefore we his Servants dare not limit ourselves, or promise any Man we will do this, or we will do that, but commit our Cause to him, as his (the Lords) Servants did of old, knowing that if we please him he can deliver us, but if not, we can make no Promise to any Man on this Account, because we ourselves know not what he has for us to do; and therefore we endeavour to stand clear from all Engagements, ready to do what he requires at our Hands. But I must tell thee, that the Manner of our Imprisonment looks very rigid and uncommon in these Time of Liberty, so far below a Christian, that 'tis hardly humane, that we should be here detained as Evil-doers, before we are examined, or any Breach of Law appears against us. Doth your Scotch Law judge a Man being it hears him? if so, 'tis very unjust indeed, and looks very hard, that the King's Subjects may not have the Liberty to walk in your Streets as elsewhere, which was all we did, besides sitting down on the Market-cross in a thoughtful Sense of our Duty to God, not openings our Mouths but to him that violently forced us into Confinement; nor do we know that we should have spoken to the People in a Way of Preaching at all: But that is the Work of our Master, and we must wait his Will and Time, to know both when and how to do it, therefore if thou thinkest [Page 45] to keep us until we promise thee or any of thy Officers not to preach in your Streets, it will be long that we must abide here: Therefore I desire thee to take the Matter into a Christian Consideration, to do as thou wouldst be done unto, and give thyself Liberty to think for what End the Magistrate's Sword is put into thy Hand, that thou mayst use it right, least thou shouldest be found one of those that turn Justice backwards, so that Equity cannot enter. This is from one that wisheth thy Welfare and Salvation,
When I had writ this, it was very hard to perswade my one to carry it to the Provost, for now they were so affrighted about having any Thing to say or do with us, that they durst not appear to talk with us; and whether he had it or not, I cannot be cerain.
The next Day there was a Country Gentleman came into the Town, and sent his Servant to invite us to his House; to which we replied, We knew not yet, when we should have our Liberty; but desired our Thanks might be returned to his Master, for that kind Invitation: He replied, we should soon be at Liberty, for his Master was gone to the Provost; knowing they had no Pretence to keep us there. Accordingly in less than two Hours after, we were set at Liberty, and went to our Inn to refresh ourselves. The Town was very full of Country People, it being Market-day, and we went to the Market-cross, which was so much surrounded with People selling [Page 46] their Ware, that there was no Room for us, without great Damage to them: We therefore, after a short Pause, walked up the Street to the Place before-named, and the Street and Balconies being filled with People, with the Sashes and Casements open, and crouded with Spectators, some computed the Number to be above 5000, but such Guesses at Numbers are uncertain: But there I stood up (being above the People, both by the Advantage of the Ground, and the Place where I stood) and opened my Mouth, being full of the Power and Spirit of Grace, saying, ‘Fear the Lord and keep his Commandments, who by his Servant said, I will put my Laws in their Minds, and write them in their Hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People. Now if you be obedient to this Law, you will do well, and thereby become the People of God; but if disobedient, you will lie under his Wrath and Judgments.’ With more, distinguishing between the Happiness of them that obeyed, and the Unhappiness of the Disobedient. Then I stepped down, in Expectation that my Companion might say somewhat, but he was willing to be gone; and I was concerned to step up again, and kneeling down, was fervently drawn forth in Prayer, but after I had begun, two Men came and took me by the Arms, and led me down the Street praying, and by the Time we came at the Foot of the Ascent, I had done praying: After which I took a View of the People, who shewed great Respect indeed, but I was conveyed to thy Prison Door, where was a Centry of two Soldiers, who stood by and heard what I said [Page 47] to the Officers that brought me there, which was to this Effect: ‘That the Day before I was forced in there against my Will, and contrary to Law, but that I would not now go there again, without first being examined by the Provost, or by their Priest and Elders of their Church, or other chief Officers in the Town, and i [...] men any Thing did appear that I had broken any Law, or done ought worthy of Imprisonment, having a Mittimus setting forth my Crime, I would willingly suffer, and not refuse going there; but without such an Examination I refused to go there again, unless forced to it by Violence, and that, I hoped they would not be guilty o [...].’ At which one of the Soldiers, taking his Musket by the small End, advancing the Butt, said, his Countryman had spoken right, and what he said was according to Law and Justice, and ought to be observed as such; and therefore if you will (said he) take him before the Provost in order for Examination, you may; but if not, [...]uch him that dare. At this [...]old Attempt and Speech they both left me, and I was advanced above the People about six or seven Steps, and turning about to them, there being a little Square before the Door, surrounded with the Guard Chamber on one Side, the Tolbooth on the other, and a Wall facing the Street about four Feet high, I had a very good Opportunity to speak to them, which I did, about a Quarter or near Half an Hour, and they were very quiet and civil. When I had done, and acknowledged the Soldier's Kindness and Civility towards me, who said, it was his Duty to do it, I came down the Steps, the People [Page 48] crowding very close to see as well as hear me, but they divided soon, making a Lane for my Passage, shewing me considerable Respect in their Way: Some said, You have dung them, Sir, you have dung them, Sir, meaning thereby I had got the Victory. All was very quiet, save that one or more would have forced a Ho [...]e over us, but was prevented by the rest: Not the least Unhandsomeness appeared, save that amongst them. Retiring to our Inn I was full of Peace and Comfort.
By this Time the Day was much spent, and concluding to stay that Night, we ordered some Refreshment to be got for us, for I found myself in want of it: It was soon got ready, and we invited our Host to share with us, who willingly did, the shewing his good liking to what had been said; adding, he never saw the People so struck, and give so good Attention; nor ever did he see so large a Multitude that heard all so intelligibly down to the very Foot of the Hill, which was, as he supposed, not much less than Two Hundred Yards in length, and I took, by Computation, the Street to be upwards of Thirty Yards wide, and all that Space much crowded. I gave him a Hint of his Fear, putting him in Mind that our Duty, in preaching to that Multitude, could not possibly be discharged by preaching to him and his Family, and he acknowledged it was right in us to do as we did.
By this Time the Evening closed in, and sundry Gentlemen sent Word that they would gladly pay us a Visit, if we would permit it, and the Landlord, I saw, earnestly desired that we would, and [Page 49] he had a very large Room, into which we went, and they soon came to us, and quickly fell into Conversation (for they are very full of Talk about Religion, and very tenacious in their Opinions upon it.) The first Article of Dispute was, about the Rule of Faith and Practice; and this was argued (pro and con) between them and our Guide Samuel Robinson, near Half an Hour, who was a very sensible religious young Man, and had a good Share of Learning also; but I found they made nothing of it. Our Opponents would endeavour, in their Way, to make out the Scriptures to be the only Rule of Faith, and that the Spirit we professed to be guided by, must be subordinate to the Text. I hitherto had said nothing, but now desiring a few Words by way of Question, the answering of which might bring this Dispute to a Point; I thought not, said I, that I should take the Argument from my Friend Robinson, whom I take to be more capable to support it than I am. All were very willing to hear me; then I began to state the Difference between us, thus: We all agree, said I, that the Scriptures is a Rule of Faith and Practice: Do we not? this was granted. The Difference lies here then, if I take it right, we say it's a Rule; you say, it's the only Rule; this is the Point in Dispute, is it not? this was likewise granted me. Then I proceeded thus: Allowing what you say to be true, it must be considered, that all instrumental Rules are made, whether they relate to spiritual or temporal Affairs, and must be contrived and adapted to answer the End for which they are made. This was allowed also. And as the Text is a Rule [Page 50] made, contrived and adapted for spiritual Affairs, who made it so? since the Text could not make itself. Here was a long Pause; at last one replied, Holy Men writ as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Here was a Pause again; And, said I, is this your Mind? It's the plain Words of the Text, said another: Granting this; then it must by your Accession be allowed, that the Spirit gave forth or made the Scriptures, by the Medium of holy Men; therefore the Spirit gave forth the Text: Now judge you, whether a Rule made, or the Author that made that Rule, be subordinate? There was a Pause for a little while, and one of the Company said, You are dung, you are dung, (meaning they had lost the Victory) the Scriptures must be subordinate to the Spirit that gave them forth. I replied thus, We believe concerning the Text, that it is a Rule, and the best external Rule we have; but that the Spirit, which gave it us by the Medium of holy Men, is the principal Rule of Faith and Practice. Thus this Debate ended, and they started another about Baptism; but that was soon ended. Our Friend Robinson was an over Match for them by far, about it. Then they had a few Words about the Bread and Wine: That held but little Time, for they allowed these Ceremonies to be external Parts of Religion. Then they came to Preaching, and stated the Question thus; Our own Teachers, we know how they come by their Ministry, and by what Authority they preach: (Meaning their Learning, and the laying on of the Hands, as they term it, of the Presbytery at their Ordination, &c.) But we want to know, how your Preachers [Page 51] come by their Ministry? And by what Authority they preach? Here, our Friend reasoned with them some Time, but they either could not, or would not be convinced with his Words; so he told the Company plainly, that he never did preach, and therefore would have it to them that did, to give Account how they came by it themselves. I was, all the Time that they banded this Affair, under a great Concern, fearing how we might come off; but when Samuel Robinson had laid the Matter so justly and fairly at our Door, there was so considerable a Space of Silence, that they expected nothing from us, but began other Discourse, until I could no longer withhold; and bespeaking their Silence and Attention, was willing to relate to them, how I came by my Ministry; at which, they all listened with close Attention. Then I premised thus, as an Introduction before I came to the Matter itself, Although in the Thread of my Discourse, something might appear liable to an Objection, I entreated the Favour of them all to hear me out, by reason what might say afterwards would perhaps solve their Objections, without giving me or themselves any Interruption. Which, with one Voice, they assented to, that it was a reasonable and just Request. Then I proceeded as follows,
‘My Father was a Cordwainer, that lived by his small Trade of making Shoes, who died before I was a Month old, and left my Mother a small Patrimony to live on of about Four Pounds a Year, to keep herself, me, and one Son more, who was about Seven Years old when my Father died.’
‘through, made me enter into Covenant, that if ever the like Offer was made me, I would give up to the heavenly Vision. The Trouble of my Mind affected my Countenance so much, that it gave my Master (being of the same Way) Reason to examine me, how it was? I gave him a candid Account, withal adding, my Fear that my Offence was so great, I should be rejected as a Cast-away: But he comforted me, with urging various Examples of the like Kind, for my Encouragement, no way doubting, but that at the next Meeting the same Concern would come upon me, and to which he advised me to give up, with a sympathizing Spirit of Love, in various and comfortable Exhortations confirmed by Scripture Examples: And as he had said, the next Morning, before I had sat there an Hour and a Half, the same Concern came upon me, which was this; (and I had now to deliver the same Words with the same Authority as I did when in that Meeting) Fear not them which kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul: But rather fear him who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell. I say, Fear you him who will terribly shake the Earth, that all which is moveable may be shaken and removed out of the Way; and that which is immoveable may stand. This was the first Appearance, in the Words abovesaid, that I made in public, as a Preacher:’ By this Time I found, that the Power of the Gospel was over them, by their wiping of their Eyes, and I was assisted to go on with Strength of Argument and Demonstration, further adding, ‘that then I [Page 55] had near three Years of my Time to serve, which I did with great Faithfulness to my Master; and before the Time was expired, preaching a little at Times, but not very frequently, yet to the great Satisfaction of my Brethren, I found a Concern upon me to travel abroad as a Minister; and I acquainted my Master therewith, who had been as a Father to me: He told me, Before I went on that Errand I must acquaint the Elders therewith, and lay it before the Monthly-meeting,’ (enlarging on the peculiar End of those Meetings, setting forth the Service thereof, to take Care of our Poor, and to deal with Offenders who were a Scandal by their ill Conduct to their Profession, and sundry other Matters cognisable in those Meetings) ‘that they might judge, whether my Concern was right, and give me a Letter of Recommendation or Certificate, to signify their Unity and Satisfaction therein: Which I did accordingly, and with some very suitable Advice to my then present Infant State as a Minister, they gave me a Certificate or a Letter of Recommendation, and signed it in the Meeting, as is usual in such Cases: I accomplished that Journey, and was, at my Return, called upon to give Account thereof, and to de [...]ver up my Certificate.’
‘ [...] which, in short Time, I had another Journey before me, and by our Discipline, or Church Government, was obliged to go to the same Meeting for a fresh Certificate, which was readily granted; and the Brethren rejoiced at my Improvement, advising me to render the Honour [Page 56] thereof where due. At my Return, I was obliged to attend the said Meeting, and give Account of my Travels as before: This Practice amongst us is judged needful, lest any one should swerve from their first Foundation, and undertake to preach without a right Commission, and so impose upon our Friends who know them not.’
‘In a little Time I was concerned to take another Journey, and laid before the said Meeting my Concern as abovesaid, and had a Certificate. At my Return I gave Account as before, and delivered my Certificate: After which, I had another Concern to visit this Nation in this very Journey, and laid my Concern before the said Meeting, had a Certificate readily granted me (and pulling it out of my Pocket-book said) and there it is’ At which, one of them took it, and, at the Desire of the rest, read it up; and it was returned me with a profound Silence: So I proceeded to add, ‘that I had visited all that Kingdom, where I found Drawings in my Spirit to go, and this (so far as I yet see) is the last Place: And now I must leave you to judge, whether it's not reasonable for you to conclude, at least that I think myself concerned by an almighty Power, else how could I have exposed myself to such an unruly Mob as I have preached to this Day?’ Here I stopt; and one in the Company asked, if all our Preachers came by their Ministry this same Way? To which I replied, ‘I could not give Account how another Man might receive his Ministry, but I have given you a faithful and candid Account how I received mine.’
[Page 57] Here my Companion was full of Matter to relate, by giving them an Account how he came by his Ministry, but let in a Fear, that what he might add, would hurt the Cause. One of the Company said, it's enough what we have heard, and so he was very handsomely excused.
The Night (by the Time this was over) being far spent, it being some Time past the Middle, a Reckoning was called, and they would not allow us to pay any Part thereof, but took Leave of us with great Affection; and the Country Gentleman, that was assisting to our Liberty, gave us a very kind Invitation to his House, which we received very thankfully; but being engaged in our Minds for England, had not Freedom to go with him: So we parted in a very loving and friendly Manner. We being now left to ourselves, I had an Opportunity to reflect on what had passed, and to examine my whole Conduct all that Day; a Practice I frequently used, after a more than common Day's Service, and indeed after every Opportunity of an Enlargement in my Gift, by Experience finding the best Instructor in my own Bosom, to shew where I hit the Matter or missed it: And considering why I began so low as my Father, setting forth my Manner of Education and Trade, which seemed to have no Relation to my Call to the Ministry, I saw the Reason thereof, and found it to be this, that they might not think my Ministry to have, in the least, any Dependance upon Literature; a Qualification much depended on for the Work of the Ministry amongst them, and some of them will not [Page 58] take any Notice of any other Sort; if a Man (for they will not admit a Woman to have any Part in this Work) be he never [...]o divinely fitted by the Spirit, yet if he want human Learning, it's all nothing with them. Thus the Wisdom of Truth, which I did not see so plainly at first, appeared to my Understanding very clearly: And on a close and narrow Inspection into this Day's Work, I found inward Peace, a Joy spring in my Heart that I could not set forth by Words. And my Companion had more Ease and true Content than I feared he could have, by reason of his not coming up in his Service, to let the Company know how he came by his Ministry, and by what Authority he preached.
I have been more particular in the Relation of this Day's Work than I otherwise should have been, as containing in it such signal Marks of Providence; first, That we should be detained in Hold, just till the People from the Country were come in. Secondly, and then set at Liberty to say what the Lord gave us. And Thirdly, That we had so seasonable an Opportunity to explain our Practice as to the Ministers, viz. the Conduct of the Society towards them; and likewise the Service of our Monthly-meetings respecting the Poor, Marriages, admonishing Offenders, making up Differences, granting of Certificates to such as saw Cause to remove themselves from one Monthly-meeting to another, as well as to Ministers. Which by their shewing so much Kindness, and raising no Objection to any Thing said on these Heads, did plainly demonstrate their good liking and Satisfaction therewith.
[Page 59] The next Morning we set out for England, and by the Evening got amongst Friends in the Border, within the Compass of Sowport Meeting, and had some few Meetings, as at the Border, Scotby, Carlisle, and some others. I came to my old Master Samuel Parrot's, having no Place to retire to as a Home, but sometimes I was at Sedgwick, and sometimes quartered with my Friend Robert Chambers, and sometimes at Kendal, and at Gateside, at honest William Simpson's, where I did sometimes help them in their Business, he being a Blacksmith. But I was now preparing myself for a Journey into America, and was near ready: And I had an Opportunity to take my Leave of the Neighbouring Meetings, as Dent, Garsdale, Sedburg, Grayrigg, Kendal, Preston, with divers other Neighbouring Meetings thereabouts; but that at Preston was the most memorable and solid, the Sense whereof continued with me all over America, at Times; I went thence to Yelland, and many Friends came to that Meeting from divers Places to take Leave of me, so that it was a very large and living Meeting; and I parted with my Brethren in great Love and Unity. I then came by Wray, Bentham, Settle and Airton, that great and good Man William Ellis being then living, and full of Power, having great and solid Experience concerning the Work of the Ministry, who was very edifying to me, by the wholsome Counsel he gave. James Wilson was then with me, who was not at that Time a public Minister, yet of great Service in visiting Families, being closely engaged in Spirit for the maintaining good Order and [Page 60] Discipline; and we being both very young in those Things, this worthy Friend gave such Advice to us both, with respect to a faithful coming up in our Services, that we could with good Reason say, that his Words were like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver; for a long Time after, the Sense and Virtue of them dwelt on my Mind, to my great Advantage. We stayed with him one Night, and had a small Meeting, in which the Preference and Value I had for him, together with an Awe that was on my Spirit concerning his great Services and Experience as a Minister, took such Place in my Mind, that I was silent before him.
Next Day we took our Leave, and he brought us on our Way a little, heartily praying at parting, that I might be preserved in my Place, and return with Safety.
James Wilson came with me as far as Le [...]ds, and then we parted, and I went through Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, visiting sundry Meetings, (where some Time before I met with great Trials and Afflictions in Mind, as already hinted) and some were convinced: My Mind was strongly engaged to see them in my Way, and I had good Satisfaction in that Visit.
Having done this, I went by the Way of Hitching and Hertford, visiting sundry Meetings, finding Encouragement to go on: But I still expected that I should be stopt by the Morning-meeting, for want of a Companion. I came to London the latter End of the Tenth Month, 1701, being by Letters advised, the Ships would sail in a Week's Time, [Page 61] or very shortly; but a War breaking out between England and France, an Embargo was laid on all Shipping for two Months, so that there was no Expectation of getting off. I staid in London about three Weeks, visiting all the Meetings in and about the City, which gave the Brethren a thorough Taste of my Service; some of my best Friends advising, that I should not lay my Concern before the Meeting, that I designed for America, until the General or Monthly-meeting of Ministers did come round, and in that Time my Service as a Minister would be generally known. I readily complied; and when the Time came, I went in great Fear to lay my Concern before that Meeting, being still apprehensive I should not be permitted to proceed, for want of a suitable Companion; but as no Objection did arise, they perused the Certificates that I had from the Monthly and Quarterly-Meetings, and did well approve thereof; and a Minute was made, appointing some Friends to prepare a Certificate against the next Meeting; which was accordingly done, brought there, and signed.
All Things now being clear for my going the first Opportunity, it was thought proper to see for a Ship, which by the Assistance of some Friends was done, but no likelihood of going quickly, by reason of the Embargo.
I had some Desire to visit the West, in particular Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, and Wilts, but at a Loss for a Horse, having sold my own soon after I came to London; but the Friend to whom I sold him, offered that I should have him that Journey, which [Page 62] I accepted, and so set out, having in Company a young Man that had been bred at a College, his Name was Samuel Crisp, a pretty meek spirited Youth, and rightly convinced. When we got forty or fifty Miles from London, he had strong Inclinations to go back. I made a kind of a running Visit; and when I was at Bristol, my Friends there were exceeding kind, and would willingly have had me gone from thence; but my prior Engagement at London would not permit it.
I staid there two Weeks at least, and taking my Leave, sundry Friends brought me on my Way to Bath, Bradford, &c. They returned, and I went on for London, and quartering at an Inn at Hungerford, (not being easy to take any more Meetings till I came to London) I fell in Company with a couple of Tradesmen, who, when we sat down to Supper, complimented each other about which should crave a Blessing, at last they pulled off their Hats, and one of them did it in some sort; but my sitting with my Hat on was such an Offence, that they began to reprove me very sharply: I said but very little for some Time, until they had spent their Reproach upon me, and then I spoke to this Effect, ‘That the Appearance they made, just before Supper was brought to the Table, was so very void of Grace in their Hearts, that I could not think it my Place to pull oft my Hat to their formal Prayer: And besides, as soon as the Words were out of their Mouths and over, it appeared to me that they were the same, and I saw by their Conduct that they did not understand the Nature of [Page 63] true Prayer, which is to be performed both with the Spirit and Understanding; and if you had not wanted both, you could not pass such silly Compliments on each other about it.’ I was now very quiet, and they said no more to me. But as soon as Supper was over, and the Reckoning paid, they left me with free Consent, for our Company was unsuitable.
Next Day I went towards London by Newbury, where I stopt at a Funeral, and so to Reading, and by Maidenhead to the City, but found the Embargo not yet taken off. It being now pretty near the Middle of the First Month, I visited some Parts of Hertfordshire, having my dear Friend John Tompkins part of the Time, and Samuel Crisp, who was a sweet Companion, having received the Knowledge of the Truth the right Way.
About a Week or two in the Second Month, Orders were given for the Merchants to get ready, and a Convoy was to go with them: But for all this, it was the latter End of the Third Month before we got off; so I had an Opportunity to visit the greatest Part of Kent. And after we sailed from the Downs, we were put into Portsmouth Harbour by contrary Winds, and lay there two or three Weeks, which was very tiresome. But all this Time I never considered any Danger of being taken by the French; it did not so much as enter into my Mind, until I came into Philadelphia, where hearing that Thomas Story, Richard Groves, and others, were taken some Time before, and carried into Martinico, a French Island, I thought of it more closely.
[Page 64] I left England in the Third Month, 1702, about the Time of the Yearly-meeting, with inward Satisfaction and Peace of Mind, and wrote a few Lines to be sent to the Meeting of Ministers in Kendal or elsewhere, in Westmoreland, my native Place; which I here insert, being the first Fruits of that kind to my Brethren.
To the MEETING of MINISTERS at Kendal, in Westmoreland. These.
IN that Love which in Time past we have enjoyed together, do I heartily salute you, having in mind some few Things to impart, as Counsel and Caution to us all, including myself therein.
We who apprehend ourselves called into this public Station of Preaching, ought closely to wait on our Guide, to put us forth in the Work. And dear Friends, I see great Need for us to carefully mind our Openings, and go on as we are led by the Spirit; for if we over-run our Guide and Openings, we shall be confused, not knowing where, or how to conclude: But if we begin and go on with the Spirit, we shall conclude so, that all who are truly spiritual will sensibly feel that we are right: Thus will our Ministry edify them that hear it.
And dear Friends, let us be singly and in Sincerity devoted to the Will of God, whether to preach or be silent; for if we are not sensible of [Page 65] such a Resignation, it is doubtful, that we may set ourselves at work, when we should be quiet, and so bring an Uneasiness upon our Friends, and a Burthen upon ourselves: And this Conduct will shut up Friends Hearts against our Service and Ministry. And my dear Friends, every Time you appear in the Ministry, when it is over, examine yourselves narrowly, whether you have kept in your Places, and to your Guide; and consider, whether you have not used superfluous Words, that render the Matter disagreeable, or such Tones or Gestures as misbecome the Work we are about, always remembring, that the true Ministers preach not themselves, but Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us bear this in mind, that neither Arts, Parts, Strength of Memory, nor former Experiences will, without the Sanctification of the Spirit, do any Thing for us to depend upon. Let us therefore, I entreat you, keep to the living Fountain, the Spring of eternal Life, opened by our Lord Jesus Christ in our Hearts.
I also desire, that you would not neglect your Day's Work, in visiting the dark Corners of the Counties about you; but be mindful of your Service therein, as the Lord shall make Way for it.
The Things above written have been on my Mind to communicate to you, my dear Friends, with Desires that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may be with your Spirits, Amen. Hoping also, that I shall not be forgotten by you, in your nearest Approaches to the Throne of Grace, in your Supplications to the God of the [Page 66] Spirits of all Flesh; remembring me, that I may be preserved by Se [...], and in the Wilderness, through the many and various Exercises and Baptisms, that I may he suffered to undergo for the Service's Sake; and that I may be preserved in Humility, and Self-denial, under the Power of the Cross, the most beautiful Ornaments a Minister can ever be cloathed with; that if it please him we should meet again, our Joy may then be full in the Holy Ghost, which is the fervent Prayer of your exercised Friend and Brother,
This was written in the Second Month 1702, and left with my Friend John Tempkins, not to send it until he heard I was gone off.
An ACCOUNT of my TRAVELS in America, the first Time
AS advised by Friends appointed to assist me, I took my Passage on board the Josiah, John Sowden Master, bound for West-River in Maryland, and we left England about the 24th of the Third Month 1702, and landed in the River of Pa [...]xent in Maryland, about the 29th of the Fifth Month following.
I visited some Meetings in that Province; but George Keith being there, and challenging Disputes wherever he came, gave both me and Friends some Exercise: To me, by challenging a Dispute without my previous Knowledge, in the following Terms.
To the PREACHER lately arrived from England.
I Intend to give Notice after Sermon, that you and myself are to dispute To-morrow, and would have you give Notice thereof accordingly.
He writ this on Occasion of an honest Friend's speaking sharply to him, and giving him the Title of an Apostate; adding, she could not pretend to dispute with him, but a Friend that was to be at their Meeting on First-day next, (meaning me) she did not doubt would talk with him. Well then, said Keith, next Monday let him [...] and I will prove him, and all the Quakers, unsound in both Faith and Principle. With more of that kind. The honest Woman being warm, and zealous for the Cause, replied, He will not be afraid of thee, I'm sure.
The Messenger that brought the Letter, delivered it in haste; as he was ordered, to John Faulkner, a young Man from Scotland, who was then Storekeeper in B. Brains and Companies Employ. We were just then a considerable Number of us in Company, going to a Meeting at Chester in the Woods, some Distance from any House, and John insisted for me to write an Answer, adding, Keith would call [Page 68] the Country together, and make much Noise about it, as if we were afraid, &c. and 'twas best to nip his Expectation in the B [...]d. And as we knew Nothing of the Conference Keith had with the Woman Friend two Days before, I writ to the Effect following.
I Have received thine, and think myself no way obliged to take any Notice of one that hath been so very mutable in his Pretences to Religion; besides, as thou hast long since been disowned, after due Admonition given thee by our Yearly-meeting in L [...], for thy quarrelsome and irregular Practices, thou art not worthy of my Notice, being no more to me than a Heathen Man and a Publican; in the needful from
John Faulkner carried my Answer, and we went to our Meeting, being at Cl [...]ter in Maryland, as aforesaid: By that Time the Meeting was fully gathered, John Faulkner came back, and we had a comfortable Meeting: Afterwards John Faulkner told us, George Keith read my Letter publickly amongst his Company, appearing very angry at the Contents of it; and the Company laughed very heartily, many of them being much pleased with it: But John Faulkner came out of the Company, and a substantial Planter followed him, and told him, he had much rather go with him to our Meeting, than to hear George Keith [Page 69] rail and abuse the Quakers; but he, being in the Commission of the Peace, must (as Keith was recommended by the Bishop of London) shew some Respect; withal adding, that John Faulkner should bring me to his House to dine the next Day: which John Faulkner would have excused, urging, that as they had a Value for me, sundry Friends would be for bringing me on my Way farther; adding, we should incommode his House. He urged it the more, saying, we should all be welcome. Accordingly several went with me there, and he was very kind, giving us an Account of George Keith's railing against us the Day before, and how disagreeable it was to the Assembly. Keith left a broad Sheet printed, wherein he pretended to prove the Quakers no Christians, out of their own Books; I had an Answer thereto in print, which Friends were glad of, and I left with them several to spread where he had left his.
After we had dined, we took our Leave, and a Friend, my Guide, went with me, and brought me to a People called Labadeists, where we were civilly entertained in their Way. When Supper came in, it was placed upon a long Table in a large Room, where, when all Things were ready, came in, at a Call, about twenty Men or upwards, but no Women: We all sat down, they placing me and my Companion near the Head of the Table, and having paused a short Space, one pulled off his Hat, but not the rest till a short Space after, and then one after another they pulled all their Hats off, and in that uncovered Posture sat silent (uttering no Words that we could hear) near Half a Quarter of an Hour; and as they [Page 70] did not uncover at once, so neither did they cover themselves again at once; but as they put on their Hats fell to eating, not regarding those who were still uncovered, so that it might be about two Minutes Time or more, between the first and last putting on of their Hats. I afterwards queried with my Companion concerning the Reason of their Conduct, and he gave this for Answer, That they held it unlawful to pray till they felt some inward Motion for the same; and that secret Prayer was more acceptable than to utter Words; and that it was most proper for every one to pray, as moved thereto by the Spirit in their own Minds.
I likewise queried, if they had no Women amongst them? He told me they had, but the Women eat by themselves, and the Men by themselves, having all Things in common, respecting their houshold Affairs, so that none could claim any more Right than another to any Part of their Stock, whether in Trade or Hasbandry; and if any had a mind to join with them, whether Rich or Poor, they must put what they had in the common Stock, and if they afterwards had a Mind to leave the Society, they must likewise leave what they brought, and go out empty handed.
They frequently expounded the Scriptures among themselves, and being a very large Family, in all upwards of a Hundred Men, Women and Children, carried on something of the Manufactory of Linen, and had a very large Plantation of Corn, Tobacco, Flax, and Hemp, together with Cattle of several Kinds. [But at my last going there, these People [Page 71] were all scattered and gone, and Nothing of them remaining of a religious Community in that Shape.]
I left this Place and travelled through the Country to Philadelphia, and was there seized with a Fever and Ague, which held me about thirteen Weeks, and I staid there till the yearly Meeting came on, which was very large, but my Disorder of the Ague would not admit my being at one Meeting; George Keith with his Companions came, but the Disturbance they gave was a considerable Advantage to Friends, and the Meeting ended to great Satisfaction.
Being recovered and pretty strong, I left Pennsylvania, and travelled through the J [...]ys East and West, and having given Expectation to a Friend, one James Miller in Scotland, who had a Sister married to one of the Barclay's Family, that it I came near where the dwelt, I would visit her at his Request. She was a very zealous honest Friend, but her Husband joined Keith, and left Friends; and on enquiring about her, where she dwelt? I was told, it would be very little out of my Way. Then a young Man offered to be my Guide, to pay her a Visit; and when we came to the House, there were sundry Priests, with others, met to sprinkle an Infant, the said Barclay's Grandchild: The Ceremony was over before we got there, we coming from Shrewsbury Yearly-meeting, where Keith also had been, but gave us no Disturbance, nor did he come to our Meeting at all, but held a Meeting a small Distance from us for two Days, and then went off. Our Meeting held three Days, and was thought to be larger by much, in Expectation that George Keith would be there. It [Page 72] ended well, and it was said, some were convinced at that Meeting
But to return to my Friend Barclay; she was in an Apartment by herself, and gave me a short Account of what they were or had been doing; saying they have sprinkled the Bab [...] my Grand-child, and the Ceremony is over, but they have not yet been to Dinner; to which she added, my Husband will be earnest for thy Company; if thou hast Freedom to go, I shall leave thee at Liberty, but if thou refusest to go, they will be ready to report, that thou [...] not face them; adding, I would be pleased with your Company (meaning me and my Companion) to d [...]ne with me, but it will be best, I think, for you to dine with them, and I hope, said she, the Lord will give you Wisdom to conduct yourselves, that they may have no just Cause to reproach the Principle on your Account. She had no sooner ended, than (as she had suggested) her Husband came, and after some Compliments, and Enquiry about his Brother-in-law James Miller, and Relations at Ury, we were called to Dinner, and by no Means would he excuse me: We went in, and the Mistress of the Feast, the Mother of the Babe then sprinkled, would have me sit at her Right-hand, and set George Keith at her Left. We sat all down, and after a short Pause George Keith stood up with all the rest of the Company, save me and my Companion, we kept our Places, and Hats on, while he repeated a long Prayer for the Church and State, Bishops, and all the inferior Clergy, the Queen, and Dutchess Dowager of Hanover, &c. The Grace being ended, the Mistress carved, and would serve me first; I would have [Page 73] refused, and put it to George Keith, but he refused it likewise: When she had done helping us and herself, she began to catechise me in the following manner.
After enquiring about her Relations at Ury in Scotland, and her Uncle Miller, she then desired to know my Business in Scotland, pretending to suppose me a Merchant that dealt in Linen to sell in England; but I saw her Design was to lead me to some unwary Answer, for Keith and the rest to find Matter of Objection to. This put me upon my Guard, to make Reply cautiously, I freely owned I had no Concern in buying or selling of any sort of Goods. Pray then, Sir, what was your Call there; I replied, that I thought it my place sometimes to advise my Friends and others, to endeavour so to live, that Death, when it comes, might not be a Terror to them; and doubt not but thou wilt count this a good Work, and needful to be done. She readily allowed, that it was very needful, and the more so, for that the Age was now very wicked. Then she proceeded to query the Reason of my coming into those Parts, pretending to suppose it was on account of Trade, as being a Supercargoe, with sundry trifling and impertinent Questions, as when I was in such and such Places? To all which I gave her Answers to the same Effect as before, that my designed Business was the same in this Country as in Scotland. Then she proceeded to more trifling Questions, as when I landed? and where? and which Way I was going? All the Company at Table gave ear to our Dialogue, which appeared to me very weak in such a learned Company as they [Page 74] thought themselves to be, and none so much as put in a Word between us. Dinner being ended, I desired to be excused, for that Time called me away, and my Friends would wait for me at the Ferry, which we had to pass that Evening. Thus Keith and I met and parted.
Then taking Leave, I went to see my worthy Friend in her own Aparment, with whom we had a short, but very agreeable Opportunity: We took our Leave and went to Woodbridge, where the next Day we had a Meeting, George Keith preached at Amboy the same Day, which Places are not far apart; we often interfered one with the other, but he no more gave me any Challenge to dispute, but took another Method to put a Stop to my Travelling, as will appear afterwards. We came to Long-Island, and a Meeting was appointed for me at a small Village called Hampstead. where George Keith also was, either by Accident or Design, and had at the same appointed to preach within our hearing, and between the two Appointments, there was a very large Gathering; and I being young and strong, my Voice was plainly heard by the People who were with Keith, so that they all left his Meeting and came to ours, (for we had Room enough for both Meetings, it being a very large Barn) except he that exercised as Clerk, and one William Bradford, who had been a Printer for Friends at Philadelphia, but deserting the Society, Friends took the Business from him. But some Time after, Keith and the said Bradford agreed, that Bradford should come and try if no Advantage might be taken at my Doctrine; accordingly he came, [Page 75] and pulled out of his Pocket a small Book, with Pen and Ink, and stedfastly [...] in my Face, to put me out of Countenance if he could; but I was above being daunted at that Time, [...] Times very incident [...]. He opened his said Book and write about two Lines in [...] then shut [...] again, continuing his staring, to try as some thought whether he could not da [...]t me; but it was past his Skill, for I felt both inward and outward Strength, and divine Power to fill my Heart, and my Face was like Bra [...] to all Opposition; he opened his Book, writ about two Line [...] [...] and a little [...] two more, in the whole about six lines in a small [...] Leaf; and after I had done, he stood up and said, [...] meaning by public [...]. A worthy Friend, John R [...] by Name, d [...]d him to be quiet, and after Meeting was ended he should be answered. Accordingly the Meeting concluded, and he waited for his Answer. To which Friend R [...] said, William [...] Day to reduce [...]. But he wanted to hear what I would say to the master, and I told him his Questions being more for Contention than Education, I therefore did not think myself obliged to answer them; more especially, since for his Contentious and disorderly walking, he had been dealt with and advised in a Brotherly and Christian Spirit to repent, [Page 76] but his persisting in the same, had obliged his Friends to disown him, and for this Reason, I said, I have no more to say to thee on this Head. He turned from me, and in a very angry manner said, I should bear of it in another Way. But I called him back, having something to say on another Subject; which was to deliver some Tokens of Gold sent his Wife by her Sister from London: This softened him somewhat, (he finding the Pieces to agree with the Letter, which I requested might be opened before my Friends there) and brought him to confess, that he believed I was a very honest Man, and he was sorry I should be under such a Delusion, as to be in Communion with that erroneous People. But at his Return to Keith, they laid their Heads together, and trumped up the following Depositions from what he had writ as aforesaid, viz.
I William Bradford, of the City of New-York, aged about forty Years, depose upon the holy Evangelists. The 21st of November 1702, going into the Quakers Meeting at Nathaniel Pearsal's deceased, in H [...]mp [...]ead, I heard one Bown, that is lately come out of England, preach, and the first Words I heard him say, were the Sign of the Cross; and thus; Friends, having gone through the Papist Baptism, let us examine the Church of England: Well, what do they do? Why the Bishop lays his Hand upon those that have learned the Languages, and ordains them to be Ministers. Well! and what do they do? Why they baptize the Children, the young Children, and sprinkle a little Water in [Page 77] their Faces, and by this they make the Child a Christian, as they say, and for so doing the Childrens Parents must give the Priest 4d. or a Groat; indeed this is an easy Way of making Christians for a Groat! And how do they do this? Their own Catechism tells us the Priest says to the Child, what is thy Name? The Child answers, Thomas, James, Mary, &c. Well! and who gave thee this Name? The Child answers, my God-fathers and God-mothers in my Baptism, wherein I was made a Member of Christ. This is brave to be made a Member of Christ! Who would not have a little Water sprinkled in their Faces? And what did your God-fathers and God-mothers then for your? Answer, They did Promise and Vow three Things in my Name; 1st. That I should renounce the Devil and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World, and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh. Ay! did they so? this is brave. Well! what did they promise more? 2dly. That I should keep God's holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the same all the Days of my Life: And yet in Contradiction to this, they plead for Sin Term of Life, and say they can't keep God's Commandments in this Life. Why! this is strange, that the God-fathers and God-mothers should promise what they believe they can't perform. And does the God-fathers and God-mothers thus promise? Yes, they do. But this is strange, that their God should need a God-father and God-mother. But Friends, our God is the true and living God; in the first of John it is said, In the Beginning [Page 78] was the Word, and the Word was God. But the God had no need of a God-father or God-mother. Well! and what do the Presbyterians do? Why they baptize their Infants also; but as I take it, they do not make use of God-fathers and God-mothers, not the Sign of the Cross: They have thrown away that piece of Popery.
Next, as to the Lord's Supper, I shall speak very brief; Christ says, that which goes in at the Mouth defiles not. So I shall make this Application: The Bread and Wine which they receive, and call the Lord's Supper, goes in at the Mouth, and so into the Draught, and profit not. They call it a Sign; yea, and an empty Sign it is. But by these Ways and Forms the Hirelings deceive the People: But we have had sufficient Proof of these Hirelings in our Day; for they will turn with every Wind, and every Turn that will answer their Priests Ends, as we have seen fulfilled largely in our Day.
- JOSEPH SMITH, Justice.
- EDWARD BURROWS, Justice.
Having patched up the above Deposition in their own Way and Manner, and Form of Expression, Keith informs, and Bradford was his Evidence; and being at a Loss for want of another Evidence to conform Bradford's, (without which they could not proceed) [Page 79] they met with a young Man who was there, and Keith got some Words out of him, that he said he heard spoken; then they threatned, if he did not come in for Evidence to what he had heard, what they would do to him; therefore he was prevailed on, thro' Fear, to give his Evidence on Oath, in the Words George Keith had got from him by Guile, before the said two Justices, which he did as followeth, although to no Purpose.
RIchard Smith, aged about 28 Years, deposeth upon the four Evangelists: That on Sunday last, he, this Deponent, was at a Quakers Meeting in Hempstead, where he heard a Man preach, whose Name he since understands is Samuel Bowne: In his preaching, he, this Deponent, remembers to have heard him speak these Words, or Words to the like Effect, viz. That the Church of England in Baptism made use of God-fathers and God-mothers; but our God is the ever living God, and has no need of a God-father or God-mother: And further this Deponent saith not.
- JOSEPH SMITH, Justice.
- EDWARD BURROWS, Justice.
Having thus laid a Foundation for a Prosecution, a Warrant was issued out. A Copy of which is as followeth.
- JOSEPH SMITH, Esq
- EDWARD BURROWS, Esq Justices of the Peace for Queens County, to the High-Sheriff of the County, Greeting.
YOU are hereby, in her Majesty's Name, strictly charged and commanded, immediately on the Receipt hereof, to attach the Body of Samuel Bowne, a Quaker, if he can be found in your Bailiwick, and to bring his Body before us, to answer to such Matters of Misdemeanour, as shall on her Majesty's Behalf be objected against him. And hereof fail not at your Peril. Dated under our Hands and Seals this 24th 9ber 1702.
- Jos. SMITH, Justice.
- EDW. BURROWS, Justice.
Thus all Things were ready to be put in Execution, and sundry substantial People, not Friends, would have had me gone off, but that I could not do; therefore on the 29th of the same Month, as I was at Flushing in Long-Island, it being the Half-yearly Meeting, which was very large, Keith being expected there: When the Meeting was fully set, the High-Sheriff came with a very large Company with him, who were all armed; some had Guns, others Pitchforks, others Swords, Clubs, Halberts, &c. as if they should meet with great Opposition in taking a poor silly harmless Sheep out of the Flock. [Page 81] The Sheriff stepping up into the Gallery, took me by the Hand, and told me, I was his Prisoner. By what Authority? said I: He pulled out his Warrant, and shew'd it me: I told him that Warrant was to take up Samuel Bowne, and my Name was not Samuel Bowne, but that Friend's Name is so; pointing at the Friend by me: We know him, said he, that's not the Man, but you are the Man: Pray then; What's your Name? That, said I, is a Question that requires Consideration, whether proper to answer or not, for no Man is bound to answer to his own Prejudice; the Law forces none to accuse himself. Thus we pro'd and con'd a little Time; and I got up from my Seat, and John Rodman, Samuel Bowne, and sundry other Friends, and walked out of the Meeting, it not being proper to discourse there at that Time; and they on conversing with the Sheriff, who in his Nature was a very moderate Man, having known Friends in England, easily prevailed on him to stay the Meeting, with all his Retinue; and afterwards they would consider what was best to be done. They willingly laid down their Arms on the outside of the Door, and came in, which encreased the Throng very much: The Meeting was silent a considerable Time, and the Sheriff's Company queried of one another privately, so as I heard it, Why I did not preach? others concluding that I should preach no more, being now a Prisoner; that's enough to silence him, said they: But finding the Word like as a Fire, I could no longer contain, but standing up, I had a very agreeable Service, both to myself and Friends, with the rest of the Company; [Page 82] the Sheriff himself, and his Company also, spoke well of it: It was the first Day of the Meeting, and the seventh of the Week. After Meeting was ended, sundry Friends went to Samuel Downe's, to consult with the Sheriff, and he being very moderate, and in a very good Humour, spoke very mild and courteously, blaming Keith and Bradford, and gave Liberty that I should stay with my Friends until Fifth-day following, there being two Days of the Meeting yet to come, and a Funeral of a noted Friend to be the Day after it ended: The Meeting encreased, and the last was both largest and most open; it was supposed there might be near 2000 People the last Day, but Keith did not come there.
Now the Time for my Appearance before the Justices being come, sundry, [...]ub [...]tantial Friends went with me, and a great Crowd o [...] other People came to hear; but for want of the Conveniency of a large Hall, which they might have had, but by the Coldness of the Season, as was pretended the Justices would not go there, so they were deprived of the Opportunity for want of Room to hear my Examination.
There were four Justices, viz. Joseph Smith, Edward Burrows, John Smith and Jonathan Whitehead. This last was a very moderate Man, and endeavoured much to have set me at Liberty; but they had a Priest with them, who endeavoured to put the worst Construction on every Thing I said: Besides, they had shut a Man up behind in a Closet, to take in Short-hand the Examination, that they might peruse the same to their own Advantage: But the Man [Page 83] was so very drunk, that he lost his Papers going Home, and a Friend providentially found them, to their great Disappointment and Shame: Great Enquiry was made about them among the People in vain. Having done what they thought fit in examining me, they turned me and my Friends out of the Room, to consult what was to be further done; and alter a little Time, we were all called in, I to receive my Doom, and my Friends to hear it; and the Clerk, as Mouth of the Court, said, These honourable Justices have agreed, that you must enter into a Two Thousand Pound Bail, Yourself in £ 1000. and two of your Friends in £ 500. each, or else be committed to the common Goal. I answered, I could enter into no Bond on that Account. Here one of the Justices queried, if the Sum was too large? I answered, that was Nothing to the Matter, if as small a Sum as Three-halfpence would do, I should not do it, it being a Matter of such a Nature that I could by no Means comply with. Then the last Justice offered to be bound for me, in what Sum they required. But not only I, but all my Friends, did oppose it with all our Might, giving them, as well as him, the Reason for it.
It growing late the Court broke up, and this Justice begged that he might have me to his House, and he would see me forth coming on the Morrow; which they readily granted him, and then they adjourned till Ten o'Clock next Day, giving their Clerk Orders to provide my Mittimus by that Time.
I went with my kind Friend the young Justice to his House, and found very good and kind Entertainment, [Page 84] his Wife being a very religious, tender-hearted Friend, [...]nd took great Care of me [...] Morning we met again, the Mi [...]i [...] [...] ex [...] [...]
- JOSEPH SMITH, Esq
- EDWARD BURROWS, Esq
- JOHN SMITH, Esq and
- JONATHAN WHITEHEAD, Esq Justices of the Peace for Queens County, &c. To the High-Sheriff of Queens County, Greeting.
WE send you herewithal the Body of Samuel Bownas, a Quaker, brought before us this Day, and charged with speaking scandalous Lies of, and Reflections against, the Church of England, as by Law established, and other Misdemeanours by him done and spoken at a public Assembly in Hempstead, in this County, on the 21st Day of this Instant 9ber. And therefore these are in Behalf of her Majesty to command you, that immediately you receive the said Samuel Bownas, and him safely keep in the common Goal of this County, until that he shall be thence delivered by the due Course of her Majesty's I [...]ws. Dated under our Hands and Seals at * [...]maica, this 30th Day of 9ber, in the second Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Queen Anne, of England, &c. Annoque Domini, 1702.
- JOSEPH SMITH,
- EDWARD BURROWS,
- JOHN SMITH,
- JONATHAN WHITEHEAD.
Now I was delivered up a Prisoner, and my Friends left me, having first got me a good wholesome Room, and a very good Bed, taking Care that I should want Nothing necessary for Life. This continued for three Months; at the End of which, a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer, and general Goal Delivery was given to John Bridges, Esq, Chief Justice of the Province; Robert Miller, Esq second; Thomas Whellett, John Jackson, and Edward Burrows; and on the 26th Day of the Twelfth Month, Bridges and Miller came, attended with much Company, in great Pomp, with Trumpets and other Music before them, to hold the said Court; and about the fourth Hour in the Afternoon, they in the same Order went to Court, which was held in the Hall, read their Commission, and called over the Jury, to whom they gave an uncommon Charge, adjourning till Monday the 28th, at Ten o'Clock in the Morning.
At the same Time the Court met, and Proclamation was made as follows.
O yes! Silence on Pain of Imprisonment.
Called over the Grand Jury, consisting of twenty two Men, and charged them to retire to their Chamber, and the Attorney General should send them Business.
The Court adjourns.
O yes! All Manner of Persons that have any Business at this Court of Oyer and Terminer, let them depart hence, and come To-morrow Morning at Eight o'Clock, and they shall be heard.
Accordingly the Grand Jury retired, and had a Bill of Indictment sent them against me, but I could never get a Copy of it first nor last. I had prepared sundry Reasons to set Bradford's Evidences aside, which are here omitted, they being pretty large, but the Grand Jury had the same before them, and they were of considerable Weight with them. The 29th the Court met.
O yes! All Manner of Persons that have any Business at this Court of Oyer and Terminer, let them draw near, and they shall be heard.
The Clerk ordered to call over the Jury.
Richard Cornell, Foreman, Ephraim Goulding, John Clayer, Isaac Hicks, Robert Hubbs, Reginald Mott, Theodorus Vanderwick, Samuel Denton, jun. Joseph Mott, Richard Valentine, Nathaniel Cole, jun. Joseph Dickenson, Isaac Doughty, Samuel Emery, John Smith, John Serin, John Oakey, Samuel Hallet, Richard Allop, John Hunt, James Clement, and William Bloodgood.
Then it was demanded, what Business the Jury had to lay before the Court? And they presented two Bills, one against a Woman for some Misdemeanor, and the Bill against me, both indorsed Ignoramus. Upon which the Judge was very angry; the other Justices on the Bench being mostly Presbyterians, said little or Nothing to the Matter, but he addressing himself to the Jury, said thus, Gentlemen, [Page 87] surely you have forgot your Oaths, and for so doing I could give you some hard Names, but at present shall forbear: Is this your Verdict touching the Quaker? for they mattered not the other Bill, if they could have had their Ends on me.
The Foreman said, It is, Sir.
I demand your Reasons, why you have not found the Bill against him?
Meaning me.
One, whose Name was James Clement, a bold Man, well skill'd in the Law, answered, we are sworn to keep the Queen's Secrets, our Fellows, and our own; and for that Reason we declare no Reasons.
Now Mr. Wiseman speaks, but I tell you, you are not so sworn, and I could find in my Heart to lay you by the Heels, and a Fine upon your Brethren.
Clement replied, he might if he pleased, but when it was done, it should be exposed with as much Expedition as the Case would admit in Westminster-hall; for, adds he, Juries, neither Grand nor Petty, are to be menaced with Threats of Stocks or Fines, but they are to Act freely, according to the best of their Judgments on the Evidence before them.
Now the Judge finding he had not Children to deal with, altered his Manner of Address, and began to flatter, and requested that they would take back both Bills, and resume their Considerations upon them. On this the Jury was in Judgment divided, but at last they all consented, and then the Court adjourned till Nine o' Clock the next Day.
Met according to Adjournment.
O yes! All Manner of Persons that have any Business at the Court of Oyer and Terminer, let them draw near and they shall be heard.
Call over the Jury; which being done.
Foreman, how find you the Bills?
As we did Yesterday.
On which Bridges in great Wrath charged them with obstructing the Course of Justice.
Why? Says Clement! because we can't be of the same Mind as the Court is: We would have you to know, that we desire no other but that Justice may take place.
The Judge now threatned to lay Clement by the Heels again. But, Clement, no Way daunted, told him, he might if he pleased; but if he did, he should hear of it in another Place.
The Clerk was now ordered to call over the Jury by Name singly, to shew their Reasons, why they could or could not find the Bills. Sundry of them refused to say any more, than That is our Verdict. Others again, said, How unreasonable, and against Law it is, that the Court should endeavour to perjure the Jury, by revealing their Secrets in the Face of the Country. However, it appeared after the Examination of the Jury, that seven were for finding the Bill, and fifteen stood firm against them for the Verdict, as signed by the Foreman. Which anger'd the Judge to that Degree, that he gave strict Orders to keep me more close than before; threatning, As Justice cannot be here come at, I'll send him to London, [Page 89] chained to the *Man of War's Deck, like other vile Criminals, with his Crimes and Misdemeanours along with him, which are of the highest Nature, and most dangerous Consequence, as tending to subvert both Church and State. When an Account of this was brought me, I was under a great Cloud, and the Power of Darkness so very strong upon me that I desired Death rather than Life, fearing that if I was so served, I should be an Object of Derision to all on board; and greatly doubting that I should not be able to bear the Suffering which I must undergo in such a Case, with that Decency and Honour that was requisite in so good a Cause.
The Friends left me alone, and I having lost all my Faith, which was still worse than being alone, I thought myself the most wretched among Men, and scarcely able to live under it, At which Time, an honest old ‡ Man (his Name was Thomas Hicks, who had been Chief Justice in the Province some Years, and well vers'd in the Law) came to visit me, and on my standing up to shew my Respects to him, he took me in his Arms, saluting me with Tears; thus expressing himself: ‘Dear Samuel, the Lord hath made Use of you, as an Instrument, to put a Stop to arbitrary Proceedings in our Courts of Justice, which have met with great Encouragement since his Lordship came here for Governor; (meaning the Lord Cornbury, who oppressed the People sorely.) But there has never so successful a [Page 90] Stand been made against it as at this Time: And now, they threaten to send you to England chained to the Man of War's Deck: Fear not, Samuel, adds he, they can no more send you there than they can send me; for the Law both here and in England is such, that every Criminal must be tried where the Cause of Action is; else, why in England do they remove Criminals from one County to another to take their Trials where the Offence was committed? But you may, after the Judgment of the Court is given against you, bring your Appeal against that Judgment; and you securing the Payment of such Fees as are commonly allowed in the like Case, they dare not deny your Appeal. But the Judge frets because he cannot have his End against you: And besides, the Governor is disgusted also, he expecting to have made considerable Advantage by it; but the Country's Eyes are now opened, and you are not now alone, but it is the Cause of every Subject; and they will never be able now to get a Jury to answer their End, the Eyes of the Country are so clearly opened by your Case. Had, says he, the Presbyterians stood as you have done, they had not so tamely left their Meeting-houses to the Church: But that People had never so good a Hand at Suffering in the Cause of Conscience, as they have had in persecuting others that differed from them.’ Here he blamed that People very much, for being so compliable to all the Claims of the Governor, although never so unreasonable and against Law.
[Page 91] And this honest Man, as if he had been sent by divine Commission, by his Discourse raised my drooping Spirits, renewed my Faith, and I was quite another Man: And as he said, so it proved. They could not get the next Jury to find the Bill against [...].
But to return, I could never get a Copy of the Mittimus or Indictment against me, but the Judge gave the Sheriff Orders to keep me more close. And I was accordingly put up in a small Room made of Logs, which had been protested against as an unlawful all Prison two Years before; but that made no Difference: I was lock'd up there, and my Friends denied coming to me. I was now advised to demand my Liberty, as a Right due by Law, and I did so; but it was denied me, without shewing any other Reason, than that I might thank the Gand-Jury for my then Confinement. It was likewise thought proper to lay the Case before the Governor by Petition, and demand my Liberty of him also; which Petition is omitted for Brevity's Sake. But all was in vain, for they were resolved not to be so baffled by the Country, they said, but they would bring me to Justice. And Keith printed some Sheets, pretending to open the Eyes of the People, saying, that I had reproached the Church, the Ordinances and Government; aggravating the Case to the highest. But what he printed with a Design to make my Case appear the worse, had quite the contrary Effect upon the People, it being look'd upon as no other than the Product of Envy and Revenge against the Quakers in general, and me in particular.
[Page 92] However, that Court was adjourn'd for six Weeks; and finding myself more closely confined than before, and not knowing when or how it would end, I began to be very thoughtful what Method to take, not to be chargeable to my Friends: And as I was full of Thought on my Pillow about the Matter, it came into my Mind to try if I could learn to make Shoes; and applying myself to a Scotch Churchman in the Neighbourhood, one Charles Williams, a good natured Man, I made a Proposal to buy a Pair of Shoes of him, cut out for me to make up, and to give him the same Price as if made, withal desiring him to let me have Materials and Tools to go on with the Work, requesting that he would be so kind as to shew me how to begin and proceed in it: I acquainted him with my Reason for so doing. He replied, it is very honest and honourable in you: But, added he, if one of our Ministers was in the like State, they would think it too mean for them to take up such a diminutive Practice; though it were for Bread: And your Friends perhaps will not like it. However, he readily fell in with me, that if I could get my Bread with my own Hands, it was most agreeable with Paul's Practice; and accordingly next Morning he brought me Leather cut out, with Materials and Tools to Work with, and with his Direction I closed one of the Upper-leathers before he left me, and he put it on the Last for me, and by Night I finished that Shoe; which when he came to see, he admired it was so well done, shewing me how to mend the Faults in the next, which I finished the next Day: He then supposed I had done [Page 93] something at the Trade before, but was mistaken: And when I would have paid him, he refused it, and told me, he would not take any Money of me; so I proposed, that if he would give the Leather, I would give my Work; and so by Consent we gave the Shoes to a poor honest Man that did go on Errands for us both. I had then more Work of him, and he was so pleased with it, that he would allow me half Pay for making it up, and was so forward to advance my Wages in a few Weeks, that unless I would take full Pay, he chearfully told me, I must look out for another Master: I as pleasantly replied, I did not desire to change: Well then, replied he, I sell the Shoes you make, for as much as any of the like Sizes made in my Shop.
I made such Improvement in this Business that I could in a little Time earn fifteen Shillings per Week, being three Shillings their Money for making a Pair of large Man's Shoes, which was my chief Work. Now their Shilling was about Nine-pence Sterling. This new Trade was of very great Service to me, by both diverting Body and Mind; and finding I now could supply my own Wants with my own Hands, it gave me great Ease indeed: But some Friends were uneasy that I should do it, as supposing it would be to their Dishonour; but others again were glad, and thought it a great Honour to the Cause of the Gospel; and they rejoyced with thankful Hearts that I succeeded so well.
Going on thus some Weeks, my kind Master came one Morning, and did not bring so much Work as before. I asked him the Reason? adding pleasantly, [Page 94] What doth my Credit sink, that I have no more brought? He smiling said. It's not best to trust G [...]al Birds too far, and I am now resolved you shall work no more for me after these I have new brought. Why! what is the Matter? said I. He added, you shall be a Master as well as I. How Can that be? said I. He replied, you shall have Leather of your own, and by doing that, you may get Eight-pence, Ten-pence or a Shilling a Pair more profit than you do now. But I told him I had rather Work Journey-work for him than do to so: For I knew not how to get Leather and other Materials, and when I had it, I was a Stranger to the cutting it out. Trouble not yourself about that, said he, for I will do all this for you: And so he did with much Chearfulness, delighting to serve me effectually.
I went on thus for several Months, and he came to me every Day once or twice, and was a very chearful, pleasant temper'd Man, but too much addicted to take delight in some of his Neighbours Company, who too often were disguised with strong Liquor, and he would often say, if you were to continue here, I should overcome it, and I verily believe should be a sober Quaker. I told him he must leave the Company he too much frequented; which he not Observing, I heard afterwards they proved very hurtful to him. We had very often serious Conversation about Religion, and it appeared to me, he had been favoured with an enlightned Understanding, and would confess, if there was any such Thing as preaching Christ truly, it was amongst the Quakers; for both Churchmen, Presbyterians, Independents, and others, [Page 95] all preach themselves, and for their own Advantage in this World; so that if there was no Pay, there would be no Preaching. He frequently attended our Meetings for a Time.
But to return to the Proceedings of the Court, which adjourn'd from the 4th Day of the First-Month 1702-3, for about six Weeks, and so continued by several Adjournments to the last Day of the Eight-Month following. The Occasion of these Adjournments was this; Judge Bridges was ill, and had been for some time declining, but was expected to be able to attend the Service of the Court, and take Vengeance on me and the Quakers, none being thought so fit for that Work as he; yet he never did, but died some Months before I was set at Liberty.
I had in this Time of Confinement sundry Visits, two of which were more remarkable than the rest. The first was by an Indian king, with three of his chief Men with him; and the other by one John Rogers from New-London, and he staid with me from the Time he came about six Days. An Abstract of both Conferences are as follow, viz.
I shall first take Notice of the Conference with the Indian King, as he stiled himself; but his Nation was much wasted and almost extinct, so that he had but a small People to rule. However, there was in him some Marks of Superiority above the other three who attended him, who shew'd some Regard to him as their Sovereign.
This Indian, with th [...]se his Attendants, came to visit me, and staid some Time, enquiring, the Cause [Page 96] of my Confinement: An Account of which I gave them as intelligibly as I could, finding they understood English better than they could speak it. The Conference was mostly between the King and me, the rest but very seldom put in a Word.
The King asked, if I was a Christian? I told him I was. And are they, said he, Christians too that keep you here? I said they professed themselves to be so. Then he and his Company shewed their Admiration, that one Christian could do thus to another. And then he enquired concerning the Difference between me and them. I replied, it consisted of sundry Particulars. First, my Adversaries hold with sprinkling a little Water on the Face of art Infant, using a Form of Words, and the Ceremony of making the Sign of a Cross with their Finger on the Babe's Forehead, Calling this Baptism, and urging it as essential to future Happiness: And I with my Brethren, can see no Good in this Ceremony. Here they talked one with another again, but I understood them not. After which they asked me, if I thought there was nothing in this Ceremony of Good to secure our future Happiness? I said, I see Nothing of good in it. I was right, they said, neither do we; Asking, wherein do you further differ from them? I proceeded, That they held it needful to take at certain Times, a Piece of Bread to eat, with a small Quantity of Wine to drink after 'tis consecrated, as they call it, which they pretend to do in Remembrance of Christ our Saviour, urging this as necessary to our future Happiness as the former, calling this the Lord's-Supper, He told me, that they had seen [Page 97] both these Ceremonies put in Practice by the Presbyterians, but could not understand, if it was a Supper, why they used it in the Middle of the Day; but they look'd upon them both as very insignificant to the End proposed; saying, The *Ma [...]g Monettay look'd at the Heart, how it was devoted, and not at these Childish Things. Asking, wherein do you differ further from them? I proceeded, that they held it lawful to kill and destroy their Enemies; but we cannot think that good and right in us; but rather endeavour to overcome our Enemies with courteous and friendly Offices and Kindness, and to asswage their Wrath by Mildness and Persuasion, and bring them to consider the Injury they are doing to such as can't in Conscience revenge themselves again. He assented, that this was good: But who can do it? said he; when my Enemies seek my Life, how can I do other than use my Endeavour to destroy them in my own Defence? My Answer was, That unless we were under the Government of a better Spirit than our Enemies, we could not do it; but if we are under the Government of the good Spirit, which seeks not to destroy Mens Lives but to save them, and teaches us to do Good for Evil, and to forgive Injuries, then we can submit to Providence, putting our Trust in the great God to save us from the Violence and Wrath of our Enemies. The King said, Indeed this is very good; but do you do thus when provoked by your Enemies? I said, sundry of our Friends had done so, and been saved from the Rage of their Enemies, who have confessed our Friends to be good Men. Ay, said he, [Page 98] they are good indeed; for if all came into this Way, there would then be no more need of War, nor killing one the other to enlarge their Kingdoms, nor one Nation want to overcome the [...]. I then asked him, if this was not a right Principle; and what would much add to the Happiness of Mankind? They all four said, it was very good indeed; but feared few would embrace this Doctrine. I said, all Things have their Beginings, [...] as now our Duty to embrace this Truth, hoping [...] others by this Example may do the same. They [...] up their Eyes as a Token of their Assent, shewing by their Words their Desire that this good Spirit might prevail in the World: Then, said they, Things will go well. But wherein, added he, do you differ more from them? I said, we held it unlawful to swear in any Case; but our Adversaries did not. I found they had not any Nation about Oaths, and so they dropt it, being desirous of introducing another Subject; for having observed our Friends Behaviour in not pulling off their Hats as others did, they wanted to know our Reasons for it: I said, uncovering our Heads was a Token of Honour we paid to the great God in our Prayers to him; and we thought any Homage equal to it ought not to be given to any of his Creatures. They said, it was all very good. Then we sat silent some Time; and I asked them, what they thought of the Great God? One of them took a Piece of a Wood Coal from the Hearth, like Charcole half burnt, and made a black Circle therewith on the Hearth-stone, and said, they believed the Great God, (or Monettay, as they then call'd him) to be all Eye, that he saw every Thing at once; and all [Page 99] Ear, that he heard every Thing in like Manner; and all Mind, that he knew all Things, and Nothing could be bid from his Sight, Hearing, or Knowledge. Then I asked, what they thought of the Devil? (or bad Monettay, as they called him.) They said, they did not look upon his Power independent from the good Monettay, but that what he did was by Permission; nor indeed did they think he had any Power at all, but what was given or suffered for him to exercise over Indians, to bring about some good Designs of the good Monettay for their Advantage, to reclaim them when they were bad, and displeased the good Monettay: For they believed the good Monettay had all Power, yet he employed his Servants or Angels, as we Term them, to execute his Will. And the Indian that made the Circle, described four several small Circles on the Edge of the great one, and they shewed their Opinion how their little Gods were employed to chastize the Indians when bad, and to comfort and encourage them in Good: They likewise supposed the four small Circles to answer to the four Quarters of the World; that they had Inferiors under them again to execute their Will when they received a Commission from that great Mind; but that all derived their Power from the supreme Eye, Ear, and Mind; demonstrating their Meaning by Comparison thus: As supposing the Indians bad, the good Monettay sees it, and he gives Orders to that in the North, and by him to them under him, whereby we are by hard Frosts, great Snows, and cold Winds in the Winter, very much afflicted with want of Food, and with Cold; and in the Summer, either [Page 100] extream Heat or Wet prevent the Fruits of the Earth from coming to Perfection, until we be made humble and good: Then we pray for Relief, and Commission is given to the Monettay in the South, and by him to them under him, whereby we have warm Winds, and pleasant Rains in the Spring, that makes Yeo-Cod (meaning Bucks) easy to be taken, and Fat, &c. And in the Summer, fruitful good Weather, neither too wet nor too dry. Thus they account for all reigning Distempers and common Calamities by Sickness or Famine; and on the other Side, Health and Plenty, &c. So in like Manner for War and Peace, viz. When two Nations are both wicked, they are stirred up to destroy each other, either by the Devil, or by some of these Monettay's by him employed, &c. I then proceeded to query, what Thoughts they had of a Future State after this Life? First desiring to have their Opinion. whether they did not think they had a Part in them that would never die? Which they readily granted, and gave me their Opinion, what both the State of the good and bad Indians would be in the other World; that the good Indians would go into the South and South-West, where it was very warm and pleasant, and Plenty of all Things both for Pleasure and Profit: As supposing, that they should have the Delight of enjoying the Comforts of eating, drinking, hunting, and all other Pleasures they enjoyed here, in a more agreeable Way to sooth and please their Desires, than ever they could in this World. Thus they described Heaven, as best suited their natural Senses, endeavouring to instil into their Youth, as they said, Principles [Page 101] of Virtue and Justice, that when they die, as to this World, they may be sit and worthy of this good Country or Heaven, where it always is serene and quiet, no Night, nor Winter in this brave pleasant Country; but all Things are plenty, very good, well and comfortable. But then, the wicked and bad Indians, when they die, go into the North and North-West, a Country extream cold, dark and unpleasant; no Sun-shine; they endeavour to get something to satisfy their Hunger, but can't, for the Yeo-Cod are very poor, and they can't catch them; so in this Extremity they desire to die, but can't; nor can they find any Means to put an End to this misearble and wretched Life, but they must continue in Sorrow and Trouble without any Hopes of End. Thus they described their Thoughts of a future State, either in Heaven or in Hell, according to their Notions of both.
I then turned my Discourse and asked them, what they thought of a good Spirit that was present with them in their Mind? (finding they had no Notion of Christ, as to his bodily Appearance) they readily acknowledged, that a good Spirit attended them, and did reprove, or make them sorrowful when they did badly: They likewise did believe the bad Monettay, or Devil, did perswade them in their Minds to Evil, and the more they strove against the Devil, and prayed for Stength, by and from the good and great Monettay, the more they prevailed ever these evil and wicked Temptations of the Devil in their own Minds, which had, they said, no Power to lead them into Evil, but by their own Consent, nor could do [Page 102] them any Hurt it they did not yield to his alluring and deceitful Temptations. I further enquired, if all the Indians were much of the same Mind in these Matters? but they could not resolve me.
I also enquired, whether any amongst them were look'd upon as Instructors more than others? They said, no; but the Head of every Family ought to do their best Endeavours to instruct their Families, but it was neglected; yet they retained the Practice of coming all together once in a Year, and the Elder did advise the Younger, what their Parents and Elders had told them, and thus they transmitted the Knowledge of former Things from one Generation to another, by having them repeated in these Assemblies.
Here our Conference ended: And as I could treat them with some Refreshment, I did, which they thankfully received; and we parted in great Friendship and Love, after a Stay of one Night and almost two Days.
Some Weeks after this, John Rogers, a Seventh-day Baptist, from New-London in New-England, came near two Hundred Miles on purpose to visit me; he was the chief Elder of that Society called by other People Quaker-Baptists, as imagining (tho' falsly) that both in their Principles and Doctrines they seemed one with us; whereas they differed from us in these material Particulars, viz. About the Seventh-day Sabbath, and in making Use of Baptism in Water to grown Persons, after the Manner of other Baptists, and using the Ceremony of Bread and Wine as a Communion, and also of anointing the Sick with [Page 103] Oil: Nor did they admit of the Light of Truth, or Manifestation of the Spirit, but only to Believers; alledging Scripture for the Whole. They bore a noble Testimony against Fightings, Swearing, [...] Complements, and the superstitious Observation of Days, for which he had endured sundry long Imprisonments, and other very great Sufferings besides, both of Body and Goods. He was a Prisoner when William Edmundson was in that Country, (see his Journal Page 90) and had by Sufferings obtained so compleat a Victory over his Opposers, that now they took no Notice of him, he might do and say what he pleased: But he thought himself, that he had carried his Opposition to the Observation of the First-day as a Sabbath a little too far at Times, so that he would do all Sorts of Work, yea, drive Goods or Merchandize of sundry Sorts in a Wheel-barrow, and expose them to Sale before the Pulpit, when the Priest was about the Middle of his Discourse, if he was not hindered, which sometimes, tho' but seldom, happened; and would do any other kind of Labour, letting the People know his Reasons for so doing, was to expose their Ignorance and Superstition in observing that Day, which had more of Law that Gospel in it, for Christ was the true Sabbath of Believers; withal adding, that he was raised up for that very End. They admitted Women to Speak in their Meetings, (believing some qualified by the Gift of the Spirit for that Work) and sometimes they had but very little said in their Meetings, and sometimes they were wholly silent, though not often; for they admitted any one, who wanted Information concerning the [Page 104] meaning of any Text to put the Question, and it was then expounded and spoken to, as they understood it: Any one being admitted to shew his Dissent, with his Reasons for it: Thus, said he, we improve our Youth in Scripture Knowledge. I asked him, if they did not sometimes carry their Difference in Sentiments too far to their Hurt? He acknowledged there was Danger in doing so, but they guarded against it as much as they could.
He gave me a large Account of the Conference he had with William Edmundson, and told me that Nothing ever gave him so much Trouble and close Uneasiness, as his opposing William Edmundson at that Time did, desiring me, if I lived to see William Edmundson, to acquaint him with the sincere Sorrow that he had upon his Mind for that Night's Work.
At my Return, I acquainted William Edmundson therewith, who desired me, if I lived to see him again, to let him know that it was the Truth William Edmundson, bore Testimony to that he opposed, and therefore it was no wonder that he was so much troubled for his foolish Attempt therein.
He gave me an Account of his Convincement and Conversion, which was very large, and although at first it was agreeable and very entertaining, yet by his spinning of it out so long, he made it disagreeable, for he staid with me five or six Days, and it was the greatest Part of his Discourse all that Time, although I did sundry Times start other Subjects, which he would soon get off, and go on about his own Experiences.
[Page 105] I queried, why he was so very stiff about the Seventh-day, and whether, upon a mild Consideration of the Opposition he gave about their Sabbath, it was not by him carried too f [...]r [...] He acknowledged, that he did not at first see clearly into the true Meaning of the Sabbath, but that the Provocations he met with from the Priests, (who stirred up the People and Mob against him) might sometimes urge him farther than he was afterwards easy with, in opposing them; but when he kept his Place, he had inexpressible Comfort and Peace in what he did; adding, that the Wrath of Man works not the Righteousness of God.
I queried with him, why they kept to the Use of Bread and Wine, and plunging or dipping into Water, since he taught his People to put no Confidence in those Ceremonies, by supposing any Virtue or Holiness in them? He replied, that they did it for the Sake of those who were weak in Faith; adding, that if our Friends had taken those two Sacraments along with them, they would have driven all before them. This led us into a long Conference, the Substance of which was to the Effect following.
[...]e spoke very much of his Satisfaction and Uni [...] with George Fox, John Stubbs, John Burnyeat, and William Edmundson, as the Lord's Servants, with sundry others of the first Visitors of that Country; that he knew them to be sent of God, and that they had carried the Reformation farther than any of the P [...]t [...]dants ever did before them, since the general Apostacy from the Purity both of Faith and Doctrine; first, the Church of England, they did Nothing [Page 106] in the End but made an English Translation of the Latin Service used before; the Presbyterians they dissented, and the Independants, but came not to the Root of the Mat [...]; the Baptists dissented from all the other three, but went not through. Upon which, tho' I could not wholly agree with him in his Assertions, I queried, if he thought that all these several Steps of the English Church from Popery, the Presbyterians and Independants from the English Church, and the Baptists from all three of them, had not something of Good in them? viz. I mean, whether the first concerned in dissenting from Popery, though they afterwards rested too much in the Form of Worship in the Episcopal Way, had not the Aid of Christ's Spirit to assist them in their Dissent? and so for all the rest. This he did readily grant to be a great Truth; and so allowing, that the first Reformers were acted by divine Light, and being faithful to what was made known to them, had their Reward; and their Successors sat down in that Form their Predecessors left them in, but did not regard that Power and Life by which they were acted, and so became Zealots for that Form, but opposed the Power. And this, said he, is the true Cause of the several Steps of Dissent one from another; and the Reason why there is so little Christian Love, and so much Bitterness and Envy one against another, is their setting down contented, each in their own Form, without the Power, so that they are all in one and the same Spirit, acting their Part in the several Forms of Worship in their own Wills and Time, not only opposing the Spirit of Truth, but making it the Object [Page 107] of their Scorn, and those who adhere to it the Subject of their Reproach, Contempt, and Envy: And this is the Foundation of Persecution, said he. But we shall, said I, digress too far from what we had in View; Thou allowest the aforementioned Friends to be Servants of Christ, and guided by his Word, and that they advanced the Reformation higher than any had done before them; and 'tis plain they had a Concern to lay aside Fighting, Swearing, vain Compliments, as well as Baptism and Bread and Wine, these two Sacraments, as you call them; and as you continue in the Practice of them, it must be in your own Will, and not in the Will of God, by thy own Confession. How dost thou, said he, make that but? Thus, said I; first, Thou allowest those of our Friends to be true Ministers, and declarest thy Unity with them as such, and they had a Concern to draw Peoples Minds from depending upon these Shadows to trust in the Substance: Now how could this be so effectually done, as by perswading the People to discontinue the Use of those Shadows? for whilst they did use them, though at the same Time they were told, there was Nothing in them, yet weak Minds would still retain some Regard, as though they had some [...]eal Good in them, when in Truth there was none. But if our Friends had a Concern from the Lord to do this, how canst thou in Reason suppose, that by the same Spirit you had a Concern from the Lord to continue in the Performance of them, unless thou wilt suppose contradictory Pinciples and Doctrines proceed from that good Spirit; which I hope is far from thy Thoughts. Yea, said he, so [Page 108] that is indeed. Adding, we do not act so, for we say as you do, that there's Nothing in these Ceremonies but a Sign; it is the Power of an endless Life that we perswade them to seek for in themselves, and not to look on these as any Advantage in a spiritual Sense at all. Then, said I, you had better do as we do, wholly lay them aside; pray remember the brazen Serpent that proved a Snare to Israel, said I: But he would not yield to this. Then I asked him, if he thought either of these Ceremonies of more Use than the other: No, replied he; set one aside, and set both, for there is no more Virtue in one than the other. I then queried with him, if ever he had seen a small Treatise entituled the Doctrine of Baptisms, wrote in Cromwell's Time by one William Dell? he never heard of such a Book, he said. I had it by me, and turning to the Preface in the last Paragraph, where the Author in a prophetick Way has these Words, ‘But because I see this present Generation so rooted and built up in the Doctrine of Men, I have the less Hope that this Truth will prevail with them; and therefore I appeal to the next Generation, which will be farther removed from these Evils, and will be brought nearer to the Word, but especially to that People whom God hath, and shall form by his Spirit, for himself, for these only will be able to make just and righteous Judgment in this Matter, seeing they have the Anointing to be their Teacher, and the Lamb to be their Light.’ Having read this Paragraph, he took the Book and read it to himself, and was [...]ilent until I observed to him, that the Author plainly pointed at our People. [Page 109] He allowed there was Reason so to think. By this Time it was late, and I desired him to take the Book, read and consider it, and let me have his Thoughts the next Day. So for that Time we parted, and he came not till late in the Afternoon next Day, altho' [...] lodged hard by the Place of my Confinement. And when he came, told me he had read it carefully, and considered it closely, confessing that it was the Language of the Spirit, and true Doctrine. I told him, now I hoped that he was satisfied, that it was most safe for them to lay these Shadows aside, and labour to bring their People to the Substance. He allowed that it might be proper to do so. But, added he, it must be done with great Care and Tenderness, lest some should be hurt by it. To which I replied, they would be more in Danger to be hurt by following these shadowy Observations, in which they could have no Benefit, and continuing in them might be a Means to lead them into Superstition and Idolatry, and make them sit down and take their Rest in the Shadows, and seek no farther.
Having said what we could, both of us dropt it by Consent; and after some short Pause (for he could not long be silent) we fell on the Subject of Election and Reprobation, he asserting, that saving Light and Grace was only given to the Elect, or true Believers, and the rest were blinded. I alledged the contrary: That an Offer of divine Love was made to all, but all did not make good Use of it: So to Argument we went, and I requested the Reason for his Belief in this Doctrine? desiring him first to explain himself, whether he thought that Reprobates were from [Page 110] their Cradles or Births so fixed, that no Means ordained could alter it? He paused some Time, and at last said, all Things with God are possible; but from the Doctrine of Paul Rom. ix. it plainly appears, says he, to be so, and that God is glorified by both, as in the Case of Pharoah. I replied, Pharoah's Case could not properly be adapted to this Doctrine, became it was in itself peculiarly intended for the convincing of the Egyptians, as well as the rest of Mankind, that he (GOD) was the only All Powerful God, worthy of Obedience, and that the Life and Power of Kings was in him; and to confirm that weak People the Jews, that if they leaned upon that God who had done all this before their Eyes, they need not fear the Wrath of Kings, though accompanied with strong and numerous Armies; for God, who had chosen them, could soon overthrow their Enemies, and save them by a mighty Deliverance from their Rage and Wrath: But how this can be brought to support Election and Reprobation as now it's understood, and preach'd up by sundry pretended Teachers, I see not: I therefore desire that thou wouldst explain it as thou understands it. He then proceeded as follows; first calling for the Book, and turning to the Text, Rom. ix. he began at the 10th Verse, and went on, expounding very strongly and undeniably, in his own View, to the the 21st Verse, continuing his Expositions to an uncommon Length; all which I heard with a profound Silence, and he became silent too at last, and we sat in Silence some time, and then I spoke to the Effect following: That as it appeared to me, the 22d [Page 111] Verse took off much of the Edge of what he had said with respect to Reprobation; which I read, and he confest it did pretty much so. I further added, that the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation, in the Way it is now expounded by thee, is very injurious, in reflecting on the infinite Mercy of God, and point blank opposing the chief End of the Gospel, and coming of our Saviour, who tasted Death for every Man, and offers Life by his good Spirit and Grace to all. Besides thy Way of expounding the Apostle in this Epistle, makes him quite contradict himself in other Places, where he clearly sets forth the Love of God by and through Christ, to be universally offered both to Jews and Gentiles, in order to Salvation: And last of all, as thou hast explained thyself now upon this Doctrine thou renders that great Duty of Prayer almost Impertinent, if not quite useless, with all other religious Endeavours, &c. so that if thou canst not make it out otherwise than this is, I may, I think, without any Breach of Charity, conclude thee unsound in thy Faith and Doctrine of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for all Men, and was by his Apostles preach'd the Saviour of the World to both Jews and Greeks: Therefore we must expound Paul in Rom. ix. after another Manner, so as to reconcile Paul with himself, where he plainly shews, God wills all Men to be saved, and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth, as in the second of the first of Timothy, and abundantly elsewhere, that we have already touched upon: But if thou wilt give me Leave, without Interruption, I will give thee my Thoughts on this Subject, which in short are these, viz.
[Page 112] It is beyond all Doubt or Question with me, that God wills all Men to be saved; and to compleat his Will, and Offers of Salvation to all, he has ordained the Means to procure the End by his own Son, who tasted Death for every Man, whereby all have it put into their Power, as free Agents, to make Choice for themselves by applying to the Means ordained by God thro' his Son our Lord Jesus Christ, for the obtaining that which he has willed for them, viz. Salvation! Now, if this is true, as the Scriptures assert, and our own Experience confims it to ourselves, then it follows, that all who are diligent, through the Obedience of Faith, endeavouring to make their Calling and Election sure, by applying to the Means ordained of God, (viz. that Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus Christ) for the obtaining that which he has willed for them, as I have said, we may safely conclude all in this State, to be the Elect of God in Christ. But then all who contrary to this, neglect and slight, nay, suffer me to say, rebel against the inward Convictions of Grace and Truth in their own Minds, (which is the only Guide and Rule for doing better) and continue herein until they are left and harden'd in their Sins and Wickedness, being given up to a Reprobate Mind, having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron, are past feeling of any Remorse for their ungodly Deeds. These I take to be in a Reprobate Condition, and this Reprobation is of themselves, they having chosen it; for they had the Offers of the same Grace and Truth to assist them to do better, as the Elect have had, but would not apply themselves thereto, but did [Page 113] wilfully reject it. Now all this thou knowest may be fairly proved by the Scriptures, and thou canst, I think, do no otherwise than allow it to be conclusive to decide this Point; for 'tis plain, the first are the Children of God, made so by their co-working with the Spirit of Christ; and the other are Reprobates and Children of Antichrist, made so by their Rebellion against the Spirit of Truth and Obedience to the Spirit of Error: And here I conclude with the Apostle's Words, Rom. ix. 22. What if God, willing to shew his Wrath, and to make his Power or known, endureth with much long suffering the Vessels of Wrath, (by their own Rebellion) fitted to Destruction?
Here we closed up the Discourse; and now I shall go on with my Imprisonment and Clearing from the same.
About the Beginning of the Eighth-Month 1703, the Sheriff had an Order to call or warn eighteen Men for a Jury, to try their Success a second Time: But whether they went upon the old Indictment or a new one, I could not understand, but it was thought by some of the last Jury, to be the same Indictment that the first Jury went upon; but I was never admitted to see it: The Sheriff had private Instructions to get such Men put into the Jury, as they thought would answer their End, which he shewed me with Abhorrence, assuring me, he would never do it; so the Jury was fairly named, and they made no great Matter about it, but in a short Time (as their Predecessors had done before them) they came in with their Bill, [Page 114] signed Ignoramus; which gave some of the Lawyers Cause to say, in a jocular Way, they were got into an Ignoramus Country.
This was on the second Day of the Ninth-Month, and the Court adjourned to the next Day, at which Time I was had into Court; which I was told, was not regular nor lawful to bring a Man to the Bar that had nothing laid to his Charge by his Peers, the grand Inquest; however, I was asked, if I had any Thing to offer to the Court [...] I desired my Liberty, and Reparation for the Wrong done me in taking it from me &c: The Judge told me, I might have my Liberty, paying my Fees. I replied, that I was informed there was no Fees due, as the Case then was, according to Law; but if there had, I should not pay any, it being to me a Matter of Conscience. The Judge said, He believed so, and smiled, speaking something to those near him, that was not heard by me: However I was set at Liberty by Proclamation; and a large Body of my dear Friends, from all Parts of the Island, came to see me Cleared, and had me away with them in a kind of Triumph, not being a little glad that I came off so honourably; and even the Country People who were not Friends, were there in abundance, and rejoiced exceedingly at my Enlargement.
I was now at liberty, after having been a Prisoner one Year wanting three Weeks and about two Days; but having not Freedom to go away, I staid some Time, visiting every Corner of the Island, and had very large and open Meetings: The People were thoroughly alarmed, so that I sound by Experience, [Page 115] that my long Imprisonment had made me more popular and regarded, so that they flocked in great Numbers to where I was, and Friends were careful that they should have Notice. They appointed a Meeting for me at a Place called Cow-neck, at one J [...]h D [...]ught [...]'s, there not having been any at that Place before; and as I lay in Bed at my dear Friend John Redman's at the Bay-side, the Night before, I dreamt that an honest Friend was fishing in a large Stone Cistern, with a crooked Pin for his Hook, a small switch Stick for his Rod, and a Piece of Thread for his Line; and George Fox came and told me, that there were three Fishes in that Place, and desired me to take the Tackling of the Friend, for that he wanted Skill to handle the Matter: Accordingly, methought he (the Friend) gave me the Rod, and the first Time that I threw in I caught a fine Fish: George Fox bid me try again, for there were two more in that Place; I did, and took up another: He bid me cast in my Hook once more; I did, and took the Third: Now, said George, there is no more there. This Dream was taken from me as if I had not dreamt at all. The next Day we went to the Meeting, and were a little late, by Reason the Tide and high Fresh-water obliged us to ride the farthest Way, and when we came into Meeting a Friend was preaching on universal Grace; but in a little Time he le [...]t off, and my Heart being full of the Matter, I took it up, and we had a blessed powerful Meeting, and all ended well.
I returned with my Friend Rodman to his House, and in our Way my Dream came fresh into my Memory, [Page 116] and that Evening I told it to my Friend Rodman, and gave him a Description of George Fox's Features and Bu [...]k, as he appeared to me; and he said, I had a very just and right Apprehension of him. He had been much with George Fox when he was in Barbadoes, and was well acquainted with him; adding, this remarkable Dream shews some Good done there * this Day.
Now after I was clear of Long-Island, (it being just with me as if I had been to set out from Home) I found it of Necessity to convenc the Elders, and lay before them my Concern, as I did when I came from Home; and in a tender and fatherly Way they took care to examine what I might he in need of, both with respect to Linen, Woolen, Pocket-Money, and a Horse; (for as yet I had not bought one, never finding Freedom so to do): But Friends, to their Praise be it spoken, assisted me from Stage to Stage, and when I was in Prison I saw I had no want of a Horse, and admired the Kindness of Providence in restraining me from having one till wanted: And I had Money plenty by the Trade of Shoe-making, so that I wanted none, nor did I want any Necessaries for the Journey but a Companion, and then sundry offered themselves very freely to travel with me: But my dear Friend Samuel Bowne had a Concern to visit the Eastern Parts of New-England, who had a sine Gift, but not very large; I was very glad of his Company, so we set forward in the Beginning of the Twelfth-Month, and the Winter not being broke up, [Page 117] we rode over the Ice in sundry Places in Connecticut Colony, some narrow and some broad Rivers New-London, the biggest, but we had no Meeting [...]r near two Hundred Miles: The People being mostly rigid Presbyterians, counted it a great C [...]ime to be at a Quakers Meeting, especially on the Sabbath-day, as they Term the First-day of the Week. But coming into Narraganset, we were amongst Friends again. So we went for Rhode-Island, and there Friends were very numerous, and we had large Meetings indeed: There was a Marriage of a young Man (his Name was Richardson) with a Daughter of Thomas Redman, a Man of the first Rank in the Island, so that we had the Governor, (his Name was Samuel Cranston) and most of the chief Men in the Government at the Marriage, and we had a precious living Time, which gave me great Encouragement. The Governor was very kind, and queried with me about my Imprisonment, he being a great Lover of Friends, but not a profest one himself.
From Rhode-Island we went [...] s [...]ait towards Hampton and Dover, having some Meetings, but few, by reason we purposed to return to the Yearly-Meeting in Rhode-Island.
When we came to Dover, we had a pretty large Meeting, but we were both silent, at which I was somewhat amazed, it being new to me: However, another Meeting was appointed next Day, some little Distance from Dover, which was much larger: My Companion said something, but very little, and was uneasy that he said any Thing: I was quite shut up, and after Meeting I was exceedingly comforted, [Page 118] being filled with divine Sweetness and heavenly Joy, that I was preserved, and did not force myself to offer. They appointed another Meeting the Day following, some Distance off, at which I found myself quite shut up, and held back as it were, from saying any Thing, and my Companion was also silent, who after Meeting look'd upon me very innocently, saying, SAMUEL, What dost think those People will say, that we should come so far to appoint Meetings amongst them, and have Nothing to say? It just then livingly came into my Mind to reply, Fear not, have Faith, Nothing doubting but we shall have enough to say before we leave them.
Our next Meeting was to be in the Center of the Meetings which we had before, in a considerable large House, but not big enough for the Company by far, and the Country was all alarmed, so that it was a very large Meeting indeed; and it being War Time with the Indians, the People brought such Weapons as they had to Meeting, so that when we came to the Meeting house, I was surprized to see so many Fire-Arms, and other Instruments of War, standing against the Meeting-house Wall. However, I was before told, that it was the Custom of other People to do so; and I found that those Fire-Arms, and warlike Weapons belonged to other People, not Friends, that were come to Meeting: A large Meeting it was indeed, and very quiet; we sat a long Time in Silence, which put me on examining my Conduct, and looking back to see how it was with me; but finding no Cause of Uneasiness from any Thing I had done before, to cause me to [Page 119] be thus shut up, I came to this Conclusion and Resignation, that I was but a Servant, and could of myself do Nothing; secretly praying that the Lord would give me Patience not to be uneasy, if he had Nothing for me to do, and if he had, there I was ready and willing to do it: And thus I settled down, diligently waiting for divine Direction. And in a little Time a Word came with Life, (and I stood up with it) to the Effect following: ‘The Lord's Time is the best Time, and let us not grow uneasy to wait for it; for when he opens none can shut, and when he shuts none can open.’ Enlarging on this Subject a little more; and we had a very glorious Meeting, in which I was largely opened in sundry Branches of the Doctrine of Christ; and I had not seen very often greater Tenderness than was at that Time amongst the People; for the War with the Indians had humbled them to such a degree, that Truth had a very great Reach upon them indeed, and the Meeting ended well.
Immediately I found an uncommon and weighty Concern to request the Ministers to come together which they very readily complied with, and they were an handsome Number, but not all thoroughly baptized into the Work. My Companion was very prettily opened, and we had a very suitable Service amonst them, and saw clearly the Reason why we were so shut up in Silence; some of them were got into an Extream in Preaching and Praying, and would continue Meetings to an unseasonable Length, as likewise in their Preaching and Praying at Table; which gave great Uneasiness to some sensible Friends [Page 120] amongst them, but they could not redress it till after this Opportunity. They themselves saw they were wrong in doing as they had done, and got out of this Extream, which was a Degree of Ranterism, being attended with a Spirit of Opposition against the Order of Friends in Monthly and Quarterly-Meetings.
Having finished our Service, we returned back to Hampton, and had several Meetings, and so for Rhode-Island Yearly-Meeting, which was very large, and to good Satisfaction.
From thence I went by Sea to several Islands, as Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and some others; but in Nantucket I had great Satisfaction, for the People, not joined with Friends, were moderate Baptists and came generally to Meetings, their Preacher also with them, who after Meeting raised some Objections against us, that he had from our Adversaries Books and that which he pitched upon mostly was about Prayer, that we did not pray to God in the Name of Christ, but in our own Names. I told him, we look'd upon it to be our Duty to pray to God in Christ's Name, and as his Name is understood to be his Power, we durst not presume to pray to the Father, but as the Wisdom and Spirit of Christ gave us Utterance. He said, it was a Gospel Truth in his primitive Purity.
The Governor sent for me, and we had a Time to confer about our Principles, and after a little Time he seemed much pleased with what I had to say: And having finished my Service I returned to Rhode-Island, and found some were contriving to [Page 121] have me taken up, by informing the Governor against me, as tho' I was a Transgressor, by preaching, as they said, against Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord, as they call the Bread and Wine. But the Governor being at the Meeting himself where this supposed Offence was given, quickly saw that the Arguments used against the Present Practice of the English Church, as well as Presbyterians and Baptists, had so much Scripture and Reason on their Side, that it was vain to attempt to confute them; he therefore thought it their wisest Way to let it alone.
After this, I made another Trip to the Eastward, my dear Companion being returned, and visited in my Way back to Dover, Meetings as they came in course; and I visited all the Meetings, where I had been before, and had sat in Silence in some of them, but I had now large and good Service, and great Satisfaction amongst them, and the more so, as they now saw it their Places not to preach in every Meeting, but to wait for the Constraint of the divine Word before they spoke.
From thence I went to Strawberry-Bank, a Haven where much Shipping resorts for Masts, and when clear of those Parts, returned to Hampton, Haverill, Exeter, and sundry other Towns, where Meetings had not been kept, and amongst them to Newbury: A Man that lived in that Place, being newly convinced, was very desirous of a Meeting at his House, which I consented to; and when the Time came, his Wife, not being pleased that we came on the Account of a Meeting, would not permit us to enter the House, but kept the Doors lock'd against us, [Page 122] being, as was said, advised to it by some of their Teachers. I took a Turn round the House, and happened to have some Conference with her at the Window, first assuring her, that we had no Design to put her Husband to any Manner of Charge, but only to let us have House-room for about two Hours to hold a Meeting; adding, that it did ill become a Wife to keep her Husband out of his House at such a Time; promising her, that if she would let in her Husband, not one of our People should come in with him. And by reasoning the Case, she, after a little while, opened the Door and would have us to go in, but I had not Freedom. Then the Place to hold the Meeting was got ready, being a large Place like a Barn, where the Friend and his Men built Boats for the Shipping, that being his Calling, and we sat down, being a few Friends, and in a little Time many People came, amongst whom, as it was said, came six Preachers: And in some convenient Time a young Woman stood up who had a pretty Gift, but the People behaved very rudely, so that it put the poor Girl out of Countenance, and she sat down. Then stood up Lydia Norton, a famous Minister, none more so of that Country, and indeed she had an excellent Gift, and knew how to conduct herself in it; but all this did not avail, the People grew worse and worse in their Behaviour; and Lydia having a very strong manly Voice, extended it very loud, but all to no purpose, for the People were as loud as she, calling for a Dram, and sporting themselves in their Folly, so she sat down; and a young Man, called Joshua Puddington, stood up; [Page 123] they were rude to the Women, but worse with him, raking up his former Faults, and calling for a Cann of Flip, for he could drink as well as they, they said: And he having been a Companion with them in fishing, they made very free with him, so he shut up. By this Time the Meeting was exceeding numerous, and continued enlarging very much: It came into my Mind, to stand up and take out my Bible, which I did, (for I always travelled with one in those Days, finding a considerable Service in it at times) and opened it, and put my Finger in it, as tho' I would take my Text, but I said Nothing for some considerable Time, till all was quiet, for the People continued in a great Confusion for a while, till some of them observed my Book; then they began to quiet and still one another, urging as a Reason for it, that I had the Word of God in my Hand, such a great Regard they paid to my Bible; and in a little Time all was quiet and still: Then I opened my Mouth and said, Behold, I am an Englishman; and enumerated the many Lands and Places I had travelled in, but had never met with any People of such a Behaviour as these were; referring to them to advise me, what Account I must give of the People of Newbury at my Return into England? A good comely Gentleman-like Man, in Excuse for the Behaviour of the People, said. Sir, as for Womens Preaching we hold it unlawful, because St. Paul hath forbid it, therefore we think it not proper to give them a hearing: And as for the Man, we know him perhaps better than you, and can't think him qualified for that Undertaking; but you seem to be a Gentleman of Sense, and we will [Page 124] hear you. I replied, that as for Womens Preaching, its allowed a disputable Point from Paul's Words, yet nevertheless if any of you are (after this Meeting is over) willing to hear what I have to say in Favour of it, I shall be willing to give you the best Account I can why I think it is lawful: And if any of you can shew better Reasons against it, I shall as willingly hear them. And as for the young Man, I grant you may, as he is a Neighbour, have had a much better Knowledge of his former Conduct in Life, than I can pretend to; but allowing that he may have, in Time past, been loose, that argues not against giving him a Hearing: For how know you, but that as S [...]ul did, he might condemn his past Life, and give you an Example, by his present Conduct, to reform; for which Reasons, you ought to have heard with Patience what he had to [...]ay to you. The same Gentleman replied, I said very right, they ought to have heard him: But I pray you speak what you have to say freely, and I charge all present to make no Disturbance or Interruption, if they do, in the Queen's Name I will commit them. By which Words I found he was in the Commission of the Peace: And then I began, ‘That Religion without Righteousness was useless, and could not profit those who profest it.’ And going on, I came in the Course of my Service to recite the great Improvement true Religion made on the Minds of those who lived in it, in giving them Power over their Lusts and Passions, repeating that of James i. 26. If any Man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his Tongue, but deceiveth his own Heart, this Man's [Page 125] Religion is vain. One out of the Throng said, Sir, you impose upon us, there's no such Text. I made a full Stop, and turned to it; and there were many Bibles then appeared. I repeated Chapter and Verse, and they turned to it. Then I asked them, if they had it? They replied, they had. Then I read both the 26th and 27th Verses, and asked, if it was so in their Bibles? They answered that it was. I then desired them to consider, whether I that repeated the Text, or he that said there was no such Text, was most in the right. Then I went on with my Opening, carefully minding my Guide; and in the Course of the Doctrine I had in my View, I came to treat of Faith, and distinguished between true and false Faith, shewing, that notwithstanding we might give our Assent to the Truth of that called the Apostles Creed, or any other made and drawn up by Men, and that we might be zealous to dispute and contend for the Truth of these Creeds, in the wording Part of them; yet for all that, if we did not lead Christian Lives, we were still but Unbelievers; for Faith without Works is dead, the Text tells us, At which last Words one cries out, you impose upon us, there's no such Text. I immediately stop'd, and turned to it, and quoted it, and they all who had Bibles made Search. There being a profound Silence, I read the Text, asking, if it was so in their Books? They all replied, it was. I made the same Remark as before; and then I went on, distinguishing between true and false Faith, plainly demonstrating from Scripture, that Faith was much different from what many took it to be. And indeed Truth was eminently preached that Day, and there was a considerable [Page 126] Tenderness amongst the People, and the Meeting ended well.
When I came out, the Gentleman came to me and I acknowledged his Kindness towards us; and it suddenly came before me to Speak with a loud Voice in the Street, and to desire, that if any one was at a Loss, and did not understand any Part of what I had said, or thought I had spoken any Thing not agreeing to Scripture, I would then desire them to let me know it, and not misrepresent any Thing I had said when I was gone, the Gentleman made Answer on Behalf of the People thus; None can have any Objection, for I never heard the Word better preached in my Time. And then I told them I was ready to let them know my Reasons, why I thought Women, properly and duly qualified, might preach lawfully, on Condition I might have their Reasons to the contrary. The Gentleman, who undertook still to speak on Behalf of the Company (who staid to hear and see) said. Here is none here will undertake to dispute with you upon this or any other Point of Religion: But I desire you will favour me with a Promise to have another meeting here, and I will get some of the best Writers the Country will afford, to take down your Sermon. But he little knew, that this was no great Inducement to my coming there again: However he prest it very close, which I excused in the best manner I could, as not knowing that I should or should not: And after some earnest pressing of me to go to his House to refresh myself, which I likewise desired to be excused in, by reason we gave Expectation to go to our Inn, and we could not stay [Page 127] much longer, because Night was come upon us; we parted in good Respect and Harmony to all Appearance, and my Heart was filled with Thankfulness and Comfort that we got over that Day's Work so well.
Now being clear of these Parts I returned, visiting the Meetings of Friends, and sundry other Places, as in particular Cape-Ann, where I met with great Opposition; the Case was thus.
At Cape-Ann sundry Friends were desirous of a Meeting, and more so, because that several young Men, who were Friends, resided there while they built a Ship. Accordingly I went, and several Friends went with me, and we got there early on a Seventh-day, and gave Notice of a Meeting, which was to good Satisfaction, and it being a new Thing, it was very large; the People desired another, which was granted: And between Meetings, some gave their Preacher Notice, who had but a small Congregation that Day, advising him to look after his Flock, it being his Duty. Accordingly he came before the Meeting ended, with several of his Elders, and was very noisy. First, he would prove Water Baptism, from the Text, to be an Ordinance of Christ. I replied; what Form of Water Baptism would he prove so? To which he answered evasively, not being willing to be tied to one more than another. But after some farther Pro's and Con's he was by his own People prest to vindicate his own Practice, which was Sprinkling. Then he said, that was plainly proved by our Saviour's Words, Suffer little Children to come unto me, &c. I shewed him [Page 128] his mistake; that without Perverting that Text, it could not be applied to sprinkling of Infants in any wise: But our Saviour's Words in that Place refered to the State of Innocency that such should experience, to be like little Children in their Minds, as free from all Manner of Vice and Wickedness, before they were sit and prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven, which sprinkling with elementary Water could not do for them. Opening more at large the State of the New-Birth and Regeneration; in doing which, he would often break in upon me, but his own People cried Shame, for the Interruption he gave, adding, when I had done, he should be heard. But he was so much out about the Proof of sprinkling Infants by our Saviour's Words, that I found he was very weary of the Dispute, and willing to drop it, and would go on upon Perfection. I urged him to clear up Baptism first, as we were upon it; but he would break off from it, urging, that both he and his People were satisfied about it; I then asked him, why he did begin upon it? To shew us our Errors, he replied. So finding nothing was like to come of it, but Tumult and Noise, we pressed it no farther. Then he charged us wi [...]h being in an Error about Perfection I desired to know, wherein? he was very unwilling to shew wherein, and f [...]ew off to Election; in short he would stick to nothing. So that one of his Hearers reproved him very sharply, for his abounding in so many charges of supposed Errors, and proving nothing; adding that it did not suit his Station as a Minister, whose Work it was, or ought to be, to set People to rights and to shew them wherein they were [Page 129] wrong, and not to heap up Charges of Errors, without shewing of any thing of Proof that they were so, which could by no means be a Way to convince and inform those in Error. At which pertinent Rebuke he left us, some, though very few, going with him. I then desired the People to sit down, and be still; which they readily complied with; and after a short Pause, it was with me briefly to speak to each Point, explaining, as well as I could, in so short a Time, the Doctrine of outward Baptism to be but a Figure of the Inward, as outward Circumcision was of the Inward, viz. of the Heart: And likewise setting forth the new Birth and Regeneration in as clear a Light as Time would permit; with Perfection and Election, and Reprobation; all which, though but very briefly touched upon, took up a considerable Time, so that the Night was above half spent considerably. When I had done, the People were exceeding quiet and civil, and declared their Satisfaction, wishing their Minister had likewise staid, for he could not have gain said what was spoken to each Point. Some few of them stay'd a short Time after, desiring that they might have more such Meetings, and we parted in much Love and Sweetness; in particular, that Elder who reprehended the Minister, as he called him, said, Religion could never prosper, so long at it was made a Trade of to get Bread by; and he seemed convinced, that both the Doctrine and practice of their People were inconsistent with primitive Religion and our Saviour's Doctrine. And thus we closed our Conference and took Leave.
[Page 130] From thence I returned towards Rhode-Island taking my Leave, as not expecting to see them again this Journey.
I went from Rhode-Island to Bl [...]k-Island, where were a few Friends, but much hurt by lewd Company, such as Privateers Men and the like, but all the Inhabitants came to Meeting, and were very sober and willing to hear. One E [...]en [...]zer Slecum, a fine Minister, was with me in this Island, and we had three or four Meetings among them: Then I returned to Rhode-Island again, and was at two large Meetings with Friends, then took my solemn Leave; and I had a Meeting in Connecticut, at which were many Friends from both Rhode-Island and Naraganset; a fine solid Meeting it was. Then I went to Naraganset, and had two or three Meetings there, and took my Leave and came to New-London, and so for Long-Island. and at the East End of it had some Meetings, where both Friends and others were very glad of my coming. I had many Meetings in several Places, and there was great [...]locking to Meetings, and very great Openness amongst the People in those Parts. A Friend told me, that George Keith had proposed, as a Means to prevent the growth of Quakerism, as he called it, the making of a Law to restrain Friends from travelling, save to their own Meetings; for he said, it was the travelling Preachers that kept the Quakers up so strong in Countenance. This was thought by some hot Biggots a likely Way to put a Stop to the Increase of the Quakers, which had infected almost the whole Country; but by People of Moderation and Sense it was hissed at. [Page 131] But to the Matter; there was a very large Meeting at Westbury on the Plain, called. Yearly meeting, to which most of the Friends of the Island, and many of the better Sort of the West End of it came, it being known that I should take my Leave there; and I was very much opened, in setting forth the Difference between the true and false Ministers, and the true and false Worship; and there being some of Keith's Friends, they threatened to have me taken up again; but I found that Truth was over them, and they could do no more than shew their Teeth for they could not bite.
After this Meeting I left the Island, and went into the Jerseys by Stratan-Island to Woodbridge, Shrewsbury, Crosswicks, and back to Egg-harbour, visiting Friends, and so back to Philadelphia to the Yearly meeting, which was very large, and I had good Satisfaction in being there. Here sundry of my dear Friends from Long-Island met me, in particular, my dear Friend Samuel Bowne and his worthy Wife, who was a good Mother in Israel; with this good Woman I left fifteen Pounds to defray some Charges my good Friends had deen at about my Imprisonment, for Chamber Rent, and a Present they made the Keeper, which I was unwilling to have them pay, having Money plenty, that I earned in Prison by making of Shoes: But my dear Friends would not permit it, but returned it me by Samuel Bowne, who used so many Arguments, that it did not look well for them to suffer it, by reason it would be a Reproach on them, and look as though I did not Count them worthy to treat me as a Minister; so rather [Page 132] than bring an Uneasiness upon my Brethren, I took it again.
From Philadelphia I accompanied these my Friends going on their Way Home, about thirty Miles, as far as Crosswicks, visiting that Meeting and Burlington, took my Leave there and came to the Falls Meeting, and so visited all the Meetings on that Side of the River, down through the Welsh Towns to Philadelphia; and taking my Leave there also, went to Concord and Chester, visiting sundry Meetings, making towards Maryland: A Welsh Friend, named Ellis Pugh, who proposed to come over with me to visit his Friends in Wales, was now with me, and we came into Maryland, and took our Passage Home with a Friend, whose Name was Daniel Maud, but be could not be ready to sail under two Months; so my Companion returned to his Family, and I visited Virginia and Carolina, and had good Satisfaction. I took my Leave and returned to the Ship, and found my dear Friend Ellis Pugh labouring among Friends in Maryland. In a little Time the Ship fell down the Bay to Kickatan, where the Fleet made up, waiting for Convoy, and in a few Weeks the Fleet came together, being very large; but many Ships had taken so great Damage by staying so long in the Country, that they could not bear the Sea, and several foundered, and some put back to unload, and have their Ships repaired. We had a long Passage but arrived safe, landing at Portsmouth in the Tenth-Month 1706, and visited only a small Meeting at Portsmouth and took Coach for London, where I staid to visit the Meetings in the City, and afterwards went [Page 133] down to Wiltshire Quarterly-Meeting, where was some Uneasiness amongst Friends, but happily reconciled.
I then went into Somersetshire to visit my Friend, being under an Engagement of Marriage to her, as before hinted, where I staid a few Weeks, and visited sundry Meetings in that Neighbourhood, and so for Bristol, where I staid a Week or ten Days, then went pretty directly into the North, which I called my Home, and glad I was to be amongst my old Friends again.
Having visited the Meetings in our own County, and delivered up my Certificate, giving an Account of my Travels, at next Monthly-Meeting I acquainted Friends with my intended Marriage, having a few Lines from under my intended Wife's Hand, as likewise from her Parents, shewing all their Consent. And I desired a Certificate from the Meeting, and Persons were appointed, as is usual in the like Case, to make Enquiry of my Clearness: And in the Interim the Quarterly-meeting for Cumberland happened to be at Carlisle, whither I went. The Meeting was exceeding large, and I had great Satisfaction in being there. I visited a few Meetings in Cumberland, but was limited for time, being obliged to be at the next Monthly-meeting to have my Certificate to present in Somersetshire, in order to proceed towards my Marriage.
By this Time the Spring was advanced, and my Worthy Friend James Wilson offered his Company to go to my Marriage; accordingly we set forward, and took in our Way the Yearly-meeting at Middlewich, [Page 134] which was very large, and sundry weighty Friends were there, I had great Satisfaction and Comfort in being there. So we took Meetings, as they suited, in our Way: And I found my Companion under a great Concern to speak something in Meetings, but very backward and loth to give up to it; but I gave him what Encouragement I could: And in Tewkesbury Meeting, after some Struggle in himself, he stood up, and appeared very much to his own, and Friends Comfort, and so in every Meeting after till we came to Bristol; and indeed he appeared more like an Elder in the Work than a Babe. But at Bristol he did not get through what he had before him to his liking, and sat down under very great Discouragement, but I cheered him up as well as I could, by giving him an Account of my Experiences: And when we came to the little Country Meetings again, he did finely, and gathered Strength and Experience in the Work very fast.
We came to my intended Father-in-Law's House, and went to their Monthly-meeting, where I and my Friend proposed our intended Marriage, which was taken Notice of. And then Bristol Yearly-meeting coming on, we went thither, and met our worthy Friend Thomas Camm, who intended to be at our Marriage. After the Yearly-meeting was over at Bristol, Thomas Camm took a Meeting or two in the Way, but my Friend James and I returned back, in order for me to get clear of the Monthly-meeting, and likewise to provide ourselves Necessaries for the Wedding, which was to be accomplished the Week following, at a Meeting on purpose at Puddimore, [Page 135] and it was a very large Meeting, sundry Public Friends besides Thomas Camm being there. The Yearly-meeting at London coming on, I staid but a few Days with my Wife; I would have had her gone with me, but her Mother was taken ill of a feverish Disorder, and was very weak, for which Reason she was not easy to go; so I was obliged to leave her to nurse her Mother, who in a few Days grew much better, but I had first a sweet Opportunity with the Family, and one or two Friends more in her Chamber, and the Spirit of Prayer came or James, and he was drawn forth very largely, and very devoutly. After which (not without some considerable Reluctance) we parted for a short Time, and James and I set out for London, and that Meeting was very large, and Friends there were willing I should give some Account of my Travels, which I was much afraid of; but being call'd upon in the Meeting, I did it, and came off much better than I expected; sundry Friends expressing their Approbation of it.
As soon as the Meeting was over, dear James and I had a heavy Parting; but as I was going to my Wife, that helped to chear my Heart a little. I came directly Home without taking any Meetings, having my dear Friend James Salter, and sundry others who had been at the Yearly-meeting, in Company. And now I staid with my dear Wife, and went very little abroad for more than twelve Months, having very great Comfort and Satisfaction in my married State, my Wife being a true Sympathizer with me in all the Exercises which I often was under, of one [Page 136] Kind or another; as sometimes I feared how we should go on in the World; and she would often say, if we get but little, we will spend less; and if we save a little out of our Gettings. we shall do well enough, I am not at all fearful of it, neither would I have thee. Then I was jealous that my Ministry was not so living as it had been before I was married; and making my Trouble and Uneasiness about it known to my Wife, she would endeavour to disswade me from such Thoughts, adding, there was no Reason for it; so that I found her to be an Help-meet indeed.
Then finding a Concern to visit Ireland, I acquainted her therewith, and she gave me up so freely and cheerfully, that it was a Cordial to me; saying, that she expected I would often leave her, and that she had resolved in herself before Marriage, she would never hinder my Ministry if she could possibly avoid it, and she hoped that the Lord would strengthen her, and make that easy to her.
So accordingly about the Fifth-Month 1708, I applied to the Monthly-meeting for a Certificate, which I had, and then took Shipping at Minehead, and landed at Cork, where I staid two or three Meetings to good Satisfaction: Then I went to Charlevill and Limerick, visiting the Meetings along that Side of the Nation to Colrain, and I found very hard Work in many Places, and in some Meetings was quite shut up; but I found, where the People who did not profess with us came in plentifully, it was not so, but there was an open Door; and that worthy Friend, and heavenly minded, meek, and divine Preacher, [Page 137] Gilbert Thompson, was there at the same Time; and when we conversed about it, I found he was, much as I was, shut up, and found it very hard Work in some Places to get forward; and as he was in Experience and Age much my Superior, I requested what he thought might be the Reason, why it seemed more dead amongst Friends in this Nation now, than in some other Places? He gave this as a Reason, That the Professors of Truth in that Nation were very strict and exact in some Things, and placed much in outward Appearance, but too much neglected the Reformation and Change of the Mind, and having the Inside thoroughly cleansed from Pride and Iniquity; for thou knowest, said he, the Leaven of the Pharisees was always hurtful to the Life of Religion in all Shapes. Yet nevertheless we found a brave living People in that Nation, and great Encouragement there was to visit fresh Places.
I came from Colrain to Lurgan, Mount Allen, and sundry small Meetings thereabout, Hilsborough, Lisburn, Ruffer-Island, and so to Drogheda, Friends having a Meeting-house in that Town, but few came to Meeting, there being no Friends in the Town, except two Men. From thence I went for Dublin, then visited the Meetings towards Wicklow, Waterford and so to Cork, and had a large Meeting at Kinsale, it being the first Meeting in the Meeting-house that Friends had built there. Friends in that Kingdom are highly to be commended, in not sparing Charge for accommodating Meetings, either by building or hiring Places for that Service.
[Page 138] By this Time the Half-yearly-meeting at Dublin came on, but Nothing very remarkable happened there. I took my Leave of Friends, and when clear I left the City, and my dear Friend Joseph Gill accompanied me about three Weeks. He did not then appear as a Minister in Meetings, but was under great Exercise, and I was satisfied he was under a very considerable Influence of divine Goodness, which would be manifested by his coming forth in the Ministry in due Time, which accordingly came to pass; for in a few Weeks after his Return, he appeared very acceptably in the Ministry, and became a very serviceable Man in the Work.
After we parted I went on for Cork, in order to take shipping Home, which I did, but the Wind not favouring us for almost three Weeks, gave me some Uneasiness, because I wrote to my Wife, that I intended coming sooner; and I heard afterwards some of our Neighbours had reported, that I with the Ship was taken into France; but my poor Wife bore up bravely under it. When the Wind sprung up fair, the Master set sail, but we were just but got clear of the River before it veered against us; so the Master purposed that we might fetch Waterford, and thought it would be better to do so than to go back to Cork; accordingly we all agreed, and got there by the Close of the Evening, being Seventh-day; I staid the First-day Meeting, which was very much to Satisfaction, and I was opened in the Excellency of the Gospel. On Second-day we set sail again, and got into Minehead in about forty eight Hours, and I posted Home by Bridgwater, and met [Page 139] with a hearty and kind Welcome from all our Family, more especially my dear Wife, having spent in Ireland somewhat more than eighteen Weeks. It soon got abroad that I was come Home, and many Friends from several Neighbouring Meetings came to Visit me and we had great Comfort in one another.
Now I had nothing to do but Visit the Meetings around me, which were pretty numerous: But one Thing came upon me pretty much, and that was, to put myself into some Business to get Bread. Some proposed one Way, some another. London and Bristol were both proposed, but I could not see my way to either of them; and what I should do in the Country, being ignorant of Farming, I saw not yet. At last it was proposed that I might with a little Charge make a Conveniency to make a little Malt, in which, when an Apprentice, I had some Experience, being then used to it. I accordingly did, but my Stock was very small, but some kind Friends lent me some Money, and I found it answer better than I expected, so that I was encouraged to proceed; and in about three Years Time, I found it answered very well, so that I went on with Pleasure, and to took great Care, and was very diligent in my Business and in attending all Meetings that I could reach in a Morning's Ride, as I found a Concern so to do; and the Comfort and Happiness I enjoyed was great, for I could entertain my Friends with a Lodging, and other Necessaries in a plain Way, which was very agreeable to us both; and most Friends that came, took a Bed with me one or two Nights, as best suited their Conveniency in their Journey.
[Page 140] But in a little Time a Storm arose: The Parson of the Parish having had Nothing from our Family for thirteen Years and upwards, of his small Tithes, and other Church-dues, (as he stiled them) got a Summons for me to meet him before the Justice; but before the Time came I writ him a few Lines, to know his Demand, and he writ me a long Letter in answer thereto. And I replied to his Answer. All which are hereunto annexed. The Time came, and some other Friends were convened by other Priests from other Parishes at the same Time. When I was called, there were two Justices, one Edward Phillips Esq of Montacute, and—Harben Esq of Newton: Phillips was very rough and boisterous in Words, and Harben altogether as mild, using sundry Arguments to perswade me to pay it myself, or suffer some other Person to pay it, being very earnest that I should suffer him to pay it for me, and he would not desire to have it altogether; supposing that I might not so well spare what the Parson demanded at once. I told him, I was very much obliged to him for his kind Offer, believing his Intention was to serve me in it, but I could by no means accept it, without Injury to my own Mind, it being a Matter that concerned my Conscience, which I was desirous to keep void of Offence towards God. He took me into another Room, and was very earnest to have it made up; urging, that it was so much in Arrears, that it was beyond their Power to end it, and it must be put into the Exchequer, and that would be very chargeable, which, says he, must fall upon you at last. I told him, that I could do Nothing to make it up: [Page 141] And having conferred some Time, we went in again, and he spoke to the Effect following, that he was very sorry he could not serve us, as we were both his Neighbours and Friends (meaning the Parson and me and told the Parson, it would be uneasy to us both; and would have us end it between ourselves. I said, if it were a Matter of just Debt that I was satisfied was any Neighbour's Due, I should soon end it with my Neighbour Ray, and be as willing to pay, as he was to receive it; but as it was not of that Nature, I could by no means do it. So I was dismissed, and in a little Time served with an Exchequer Process, and in a few Months after, in the next Term, I was taken up in my Way for Bristol, where I was going about my Business, and put into Goal. But when the Parson had got me there, he was very uneasy indeed, so that he could not take his Rest, and told his Attorney. If he lost all his Claim, he could by no means keep me there, for he had no Rest or Quietness of Mind Night nor Day. So accordingly the Attorney came to the Keeper in less than ten Days Time, in the Parson's Name desiring him to let me go Home to look after my Business: Which I accordingly did, and in a few Days went my Journey to Bristol; and when I had done my Business there, took a little Turn into Wiltshire, and spent about two Weeks in visiting sundry Meetings, and so returned Home.
Then I advised my Friends at the Meeting for Sufferings in London, how it stood; who advised me, that the Parson could not proceed farther, as he had taken me up and put me into Goal: So I heard no more of it all that Winter: But in the Spring a distant [Page 142] Relation of our Family came to my Wife when I was from Home, and desired her to lend him ten Pounds, for he was going to a Fair, being a considerable Grazier. She had no Thoughts about the Parson's Demands, that being a much bigger Sum, and he being a Dissenter, and having done me the like Favour, she lent it him, and he gave her his Note accordingly. My Wife, when I came Home, told me what she had done, and I said, it was very well, mistrusting Nothing of any Trick in the Matter; but as he came in my Absence to borrow it, so in like Manner he came in pretence to pay it, addressing himself to my Wife to this Effect; Dear Cousin, if you can help me to that Note, I had best pay it; you know I borrowed it of you, and shall pay it to you. So she very innocently fetch'd his Note, and he tore it immediately; and putting his Hand into his Pocket, takes out and throws her down the Parson's Receipt for the ten Pounds, in full of all Demands for Tithes to that Time. My poor Wife was under a very great Surprize, urging, it would be a very great Uneasiness to me. Your Husband, said he, is, we allow, a Man of Sense, but in this he is a stubborn Fool; and I would have paid it out of my own Pocket rather than he should have ruined you and himself, which this Exchequer Suit would soon have done if it had gone on; for his original Demand is fourteen Pounds and upwards, and he hath been at forty or fifty Shillings Charge already, and you must have paid that and ten Times more if it had gone on, which now I have cleared for ten Pounds; I think you are exceeding well off. Ay, but, said she, we look at inward Peace [Page 143] more than all that, and I shall be blamed for being privy to the Contrivance, and beget a Jealousy in my Husband about other Affairs. Oh! my dear Cousin trouble not yourself about that, said he, for I can clear you, that you are as innocent of it as a new-born Babe: And I know I could not have brought it about with your Husband, for he would have started so many Questions, that I could not possibly have brought it about any other Way, than by ploughing with his Heifer. When my Wife told me of it, which was not presently, it troubled me, to have my Testimony thus evaded by this undermining Trick, which was in the Man that did it, designed for our Good no doubt, and the Note that he gave for the Money being destroyed, I had nothing to shew under his Hand for the Money, and what to do in it I was at a loss: But I thought it best to convene the Elders, and let them know how it stood, and to be advised how I might clear my Testimony, and my dear Wife and Self, from having any Hand in this deceitful Trick; which I accordingly did, and they were satisfied we were clear of the Contrivance, but did not know what to do to satisfy others about it; one Friend was for suing him that had thus trick'd me for the ten Pounds: But others thought such an Act would do more Hurt than Good, and thought it by no means adviseable to act any farther, than to go to my Kinsman and let him know, that what he had done in the Case, tho' by him intended for a Kindness, yet it had the contrary Effect on our Minds, so that altho' he intended to serve us, it proved a Disservice, and to request, that for the future he would [Page 144] never serve us so again. In due Time my Wife and I took an Opportunity, and discoursed the Matter over with him; and he to excuse it said, he little thought we would take it so much amiss as we had, having, as he thought, no Reason for it, and wondered that our Friends should be so stubborn as to contend against Law; and he could not bear to think we should be served as Mr. Banton and Mr. Tilly were; and indeed, if it were again to do, I should do the same, said he. Robert Banton and William Tilly were two very great Sufferers by Exchequer Process, both very honest sincere Friends. Thus was this Affair ended. The first Letter I writ the Parson, with the Parson's Answer, and my Reply, are hereunto annexed, viz.
SINCE thou art pleased to proceed against me by Justice's Warrant, I desire thou wouldst be pleased to let me know, what thou demandest else, how shall I be able to make my Defence. I think thy People this Year and last were very unreasonable in their Taking, having both Years (modestly computed) taken above one eighth Part of my Hay: And * Brook's never, as I am informed, paid any in kind till thou came into the Parish; but now for Nine-pence the three Acres, thou hast [Page 145] taken every Year Hay worth eight or nine Shillings per Annum at least. As for Arguments between us, for or against, I suppose them needless, but I take it very hard to be so treated from a Man of thy Pretensions. I believe thou wouldst not, if in my Case, like such Treatment; not that I murmur or repine because my Goods are taken away on this Account, being perswaded that it is my Duty actively to refuse a Compliance with the Laws that command Tithes; and if I must, as I have already, suffer the Spoiling of my Goods, I hope passively to submit and bear it. This I conclude with Desires of Good for thee and thine every Way.
I HAVE been above thirteen Years in the Parish, and have not given your Family any Disturbance, though the Arrears which are due to me are considerable; so that you have no Reason to complain of hard Usage from me, but rather to thank me for my Kindness, in bearing this Injustice so long.
You don't think, when you go to Law with one another, or with some of those who differ from you, that you spoil their Goods, when you put them to Charges, that you may force them to do you Justice. And why, pray you, should it be thought a Spoiling of your Goods, when we do nothing more than you do yourselves, when you think you are wronged; that is, endeavour to recover [Page 146] our own? For I demand nothing of you but what I know to be mine before I receive it.
You might as well make an Entry upon our Glebelands, or upon any Thing else we possess, as to seize upon the Tithes, to which you have no more Title than to the other, unless you have bought them, as I am sure you have not.
For every Body who understands these Things, will tell you, that when such Lands as are Tithe-free, are sold or lett, they are for that Reason valued at an higher Price, and the Lord or Seller makes the Tenant or Purchaser pay for the Tithe, as well as for the rest of the Estate: And that on the other hand, there is a proportionable Abatement made to the Purchasers and Tenants of such Lands as are liable to the Payment of Tithes. And there is very good Reason for it, because in that Case, the Tithes being no Part of the Landlord's Property, he cannot make them over to another, or demand a Price for that which he has not sold; and those who Rent or Purchase his Estate, can claim no Title by Virtue of any Conveyance or Grant of his, but only to what he had a Right to dispose of himself: So that if you will needs, in this matter pretend Conscience, you ought not to occupy any Land but what is Tithe free.
But if you think that this would be very grievous and inconvenient, you ought, when you occupy Tithe-land, to permit us quietly to enjoy our Tithes, which are a Part of our Free-hold, and to which we have the same Title as we have to our Glebe, wherein you claim no Propriety, as indeed [Page 147] you have no manner of Title to the Tithe. If you have, be pleased to shew it, and let us know from whom you had it. And if you have none, as I know you have not, don't go to pretend Conscience for invading your Neighbour's Property.
For my Part, I do not see any Reason, why you should not actively comply with the Law for Payment of Tithes, as well as with that for Taxes, as your Friends have done over all the Kingdom ever since the Revolution; and some of them have been Collectors, though the Title of the Act of Parliament did plainly shew that the Tax was for carrying on a War against France with Vigour: And yet your Friends, even those who have been of greatest Reputation among you, and the Champions of your Cause, have declared as much against the Lawfulness of all War, as they have done against the Payment of Tithes; and sometimes have carried the matter so high, as to refuse the Payment of Money demanded of them for that Purpose as Robert Barclay in his Apology tells us, they suffered, because they would not Pay for Drums and Colours, and other Military Furniture. And this they did in the Time of Peace, when the Militia met only to make a Raree-show, and had at the Place of Rendezvous no other Enemies to skirmish with but Butterflies. Nevertheless, since the War against France began, your Friends have given the same active Obedience to the Laws for Payment of Taxes, as their fellow Subjects have done; and I hope, you for the future, will do for the Payment of Tithes, which, [Page 148] according to your avowed Principles, is as lawful as the Payment of Taxes for carrying on a War with Vigour.
It is a vain Thing to pretend Conscience to excuse Oppression or Covetousness, for it must be one or either of these, which makes any Man take Possession of what is not his own, but his Neighbour's.
If we lived by the Alms-basket, and could claim nothing but what we might expect from the Benevolence of those from whom we make any Demand of this Nature, we could not blame you so much: But the Case is otherwise: for we desire none of your Benevolence, and we know the Tithe is no Part of your Estate, and that you can claim no Right to it, either by Donation or Purchase. Therefore don't go to call that your own which is not; and being you disclaim all Violence against, or Oppression of Men upon the Account of their Conscience, we may reasonably expect so much Tenderness from you, that you would not oppress us, because we differ from you, and that you would not, under a Pretence of Conscience, seize upon our Estates, and then make an Outcry against us, when we desire the Assistance of the civil Magistrate, for recovering any Part of our Properties or Freeholds, as often as you unjustly invade them. Surely we might look for more Equity from you, being we are Members of that Church which in other Respects permits you the free Exercise of your Religion, and has confirmed the same [Page 149] by the late Act of Indulgence, agreed upon by the Bishops, Lords, and Commons of our Communion. An Instance of such Moderation as was never shewn to our Church by any other Sect who had us under their Power, whether Papists, or some violent and fierce Protestant Dissenters, who perhaps would handle us as roughly as our Predecessors were by them, if God should again permit us to fall under their merciless Hands.
You say, You take it hard to be so treated by a Man of my Pretensions, and if it was from some of the same Cloth, you would think it was like themselves. But why should it be thought inconsistent with my Pretensions, to demand what I know to be my own? And why may I not say the same to you, that I take it hard to be so treated by a Man of your Pretensions, who profess, that Violence against those who differ from you, merely upon the Account of their Conscience, is unwarrantable; and yet, contrary to this your Profession, you seize upon that which is mine, mine by as good a Right as you have to your own Estate: For you cannot say that you have purchased the Tithes, or that any who had a Title to dispose of them, did make them over to you; and yet for all that, you pretend Conscience for the Disturbance you give me, for no other Reason, but because I am of a different Communion from you. If this was done by some who maintain, that Violence against Men of another Perswasion is meritorious, and that Hereticks ought [Page 150] not to be suffered to live, I should think it was like themselves; tho' from you I might expect other Things. But let that be as it will, I desire nothing from you but the Profits of my own Estate, which you unjustly with-hold from me; and I am resolved, whatever you think or say about the Matter, that I will have my Right. However, if you are willing to live peaceably, I shall be as moderate as you can expect, and for that Reason have referred this Business to Mr. Smith, whom I have authorized to do as he thinks fit, and am, Sir,
SINCE thou hast advanced some Arguments for for thy taking Tithes, I have somewhat to offer in Answer thereunto, for my Refusal.
1st. Thou art pleased to write, I ought to thank thee for forbearing with this Injustice so long; but I take the Refusal of paying Tithes to be no Injustice. Therefore, &c.
2dly. Thou says, when I go to Law with another, (or some that differ from me) I do not think that Spoiling of their Goods; which I do not take to be a parallel Case with this: For, first, if I go to Law [Page 151] with any Man, it shall be for some just Debt owing to me, for which he, whom I so go to Law with, shall have received some valuable Consideration; but from thee I have received none for the Tithe of my Increase; therefore it's not a parallel Case.
3dly. He with whom I go to Law shall have no just Plea of Conscience, because if I can have no plain Demonstration that he had of me a valuable Consideration for which I make my Demands on him, I will not go to Law at all; therefore it's not a parallel Case.
4thly. If on such a Foundation I go to Law, and force my adverse Party to Justice by Law, I conclude with thee, it is not spoiling of Goods. But to go to Law, and by it take away Peoples Goods, without such a valuable Consideration as above, is Spoiling of Goods, in my Opinion, with a Witness.
Thou writes me, I may as well seize of the Glebe-lands, or upon any Thing else we possess, as upon the Tithes. Under Favour, I am of another Mind; because I have no Title to shew for thy Glebe-lands or any Thing else thou enjoys: But for my Land, the whole I take to be mine, without any Reserve or exception whatsoever, as the Writings that give me my Title to it, do sufficiently set forth and declare; and I have given for it a valuable Consideration, which thou never did for the tenth Part thereof: Therefore, I am sure I have more Right to it than thou canst pretend to, in Justice, Equity and Reason; because I have bought, without Reserve, the Whole, and [Page 152] manured the same at my own Cost and Charge; but thou hast bought no Part thereof, nor been at any Charge about improving it, that I know of.
Thou further writes, that every Body that understands these Things, will tell me, when such Lands as are Tithe-free are sold, for that Reason they are valued higher. What Argument is that for the Lawfulness of Tithes according to the Gospel? I conceive none at all.
The next is, that if I occupy Tithe-lands, I ought quietly to permit you to enjoy the Tithes: That's the Matter in Dispute, which shall in it's Place be spoken to.
Now I am come to thy Argument about Taxes, wherein thou endeavours to make us inconsistent with ourselves, in actively complying with the Law for Taxes, but refusing a Compliance with the Law for Tithes endeavouring thereby to lay Tithes and Taxes upon one Foundation: In this also I differ from thee; for I understand Taxes to be paid as a civil Debt, Tribute or Custom to Caesar: But Tithes are paid as a religious Act to God, and holy Church, as in its Place shall be farther shewn.
Indeed our Saviour said, Render unto Caesar the Things that are Caesars; and unto God, the Things that are God's Mark xii. 17. Now if we must render to Caesar the Things that are Caesars, and unto God the Things that are God's, then it remains to be proved, that Tithes are Caesar's Due, before they be demanded as his Right.
[Page 153] But here's the grand Objection of Inconsistency; that because we have suffered for refusing to pay towards the Militia for Drums, Colours, &c. and yet actively comply with the Law of Taxes, which is to carry on a War with Vigour, &c. insisting on R. Barclay's Words to strengthen the Objection; we are still of the same Mind with R. Barclay that Wars and Fighting are inconsistent with the Gospel Principles; and when it's brought so near to us, that by Law we are obliged to act both in Person and Estate, we in this Case abuse rather passively to suffer, than actively to comply, for Conscience-sake. And this is still our Case, and a Suffering we lie under (with respect to the Militia) in many Places, being careful to walk by the Rule of Christ's Doctrine; and yet do not hereby think ourselves inconsistent in actively complying with the Law of Taxes, in rendering to Caesar the Things that are Caesar's, and he may do therewith what pleaseth him, we may not direct him; therefore, to use thy own familiar Simile, I take this Argument of Taxes to have no more Weight in it, in relation to Tithes, it being no parallel Case, than the Enemies that the Militia met with in their Rendezvous, at their Raree-show.
Thou writest, that it's a vain Thing to pretend Conscience to excuse Oppression or Covetousness. I am entirely of thy Mind; so that where any Man pretends to refuse the Payment of Tithes out of Covetousness, believing at the same Time in his Conscience they are justly due; tis pity, I say, if that be his only Excuse, but that he should [Page 154] pay smartly for it: But beware of mistaking, by supposing the Refusal to be from Covetousness, when 'tis really Conscience.
Thou addest, if you lived by the Alms-basket, &c. which indeed I think you ought to do, if your own Hands can't sufficiently administer to your own Wants: for a forced Maintenance is not consistent with the Gospel Ministry; and that thou knows right well, having often confess'd it in my House. Thou adds, Tithes is no Part of my Estate, either by Donation or Purchase. But I say as above, I have purchased the Whole, without any Reserve or Exception of Tithes. But in thy own Country, North-Britain, I have been informed, Tithes are excepted in Deeds and Conveyances, so that they have some Colour to use such an Argument there, but I can see no Foundation for such an Argument in this Country [...]. Thou advises me not to call that my own, which is not: I say, it is my own, because as above, I have, without Reserve, purchased the Whole, as Witness my Writings. Besides all that, at my own Charge I have manured and improved it.
Thy next Paragraph is already answered.
I acknowledge thee a Member of that Church, or Society, who have granted us the Indulgence we now enjoy in the exercise of our Religion; for which I with the rest of my Brethren, ought to be truly thankful to God and the Government. But I must tell thee, some of thy Brethren, not of the meanest rank in your Church, have, like battering Rams, endeavoured to break that [Page 155] Chain of Indulgence we now enjoy, but Providence has hitherto prevented them, and I hope ever will, unless God shall see meet to try his Church, to discover thereby the truly Religious, from the Hypocrites.
Thou seems angry, and to resent it, that I should take it [...]ll or hard, to be so treated by a Man of thy Pretensions; but the Reason why I so writ, is this, because I have more than once heard, that my Neighbour Ray has said in our House, that it was a Matter of Conscience to him, to force a Maintenance from such as for the Sake of Conscience could not pay him using that Text, Whose Ox have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Which I have sometimes spoke of to others, and it gained great Credit and good Thoughts concerning my Neighbour Ray; and for that Reason, and no other, I took such Treatment hard. But however, if thy Conscience be altered, it will give Reason for my Thoughts concerning thee also to change.
Now I shall give thee my Reasons, why I can't actively comply with the Law for paying Tithes and answer thy last Paragraph in the Conclusion of this.
1st. I was in my Youth very thoughtful touching the Nature and Design of Religion, and conscious to myself, that an implicit Faith, with a [...] Obedience, might not be sufficient to bring me to the End intended by it. 2dly, Observing many under great Sufferings for refusing to pay Tithes, and their Plea for it was Conscience; but [Page 156] many more I found did pay, and thought they did right, at least made no scruple of Conscience in doing it; this Contradiction in Practice made me willing to look into it myself; that 3dly, what I did herein might not be for Imitation's Sake on either Side, but that I might act on a Principle of Faith, as knowing, what is not of Faith is Sin. And 4thly and lastly, these Reasons put me on examining and trying for myself.
This premised, I now assure thee, that it is not out of Stubborness, Ill-humour or Covetousness, but purely on a Principle of Conscience, for these Reasons following, that I can neither pay or receive Tithes.
1st. The Dedication of them is grosly superstitious (and I think protested against by most, unless such as love to suck the sweet of other Mens Labour) being dedicated and given by King Ethel-wolf (about 855) to God and St. Mary for the Redemption of his own Soul, with the Souls of his Ancestors; in the Consideration whereof, the Clergy were to sing such Number of Masses for the King and his Nobles, &c.
2dly. It is already granted by me, that we must render to Caesar the Things that are Caesar's, and unto God, the Things that are God's. And I promise thee, for my own Part, I shall be both ready and willing to pay the Tenth of my Increase to God, when I am satisfied he requires it of me; or unto them he shall appoint, when I am satisfied he has appointed them, as he did the Tribe of Levi; but for me to pay Tithe to a [Page 157] Man claiming it as a Minister of God, when I know that no such Thing is required of me, (Tithe being no Gospel Maintenance, that I can understand) it may justly be said unto me, Who has required this of thy Hands? Yet however, if Tithe be compelled from me by a human Law, I can't help that, nor resist the Force of that Demand by Argument from Scripture; therefore, being perswaded that God requires of me no such Thing as the Payment of Tithes, but that I am called to protest against all Superstition and Idolatry, and the Law of Tithes plainly appearing to me to be such, therefore I cannot, with a safe Conscience actively comply therewith, but chuse rather to please God than Man, although it may be to my Disadvantage in this World, yet by so doing I hope for future Gain.
3dly, And again, Tithes are required to be paid as a religious Act, viz. to God and holy Church; and as above, I am perswaded, that God requires no such Thing, therefore I can't pay them with a safe Conscience, being a Protestant against that which I call Popery, not in Word and Tongue only, but in Deed and Truth also.
Lastly, Tithes are not required by the Gospel, that I can understand; if thou canst make it out, please to do it, for 'tis clear to me, that Christ came to finish and put an End to that Law which required Tithes, as well as to the Priesthood supported by them; therefore to continue in the Practice of Tithing, is in effect, denying that Christ is come in the Flesh to put an End to them, according [Page 158] to Scripture and the Practice of former Times; for which Reason, I think an active Compliance with the Law for Tithes is Sin, and in my Opinion, he that payeth or he that receiveth, are equally culpable in God's Sight; for which Cause we can neither receive nor pay, as this Deed of Settlement will prove, and more Instances of the like kind might be produced from sundry Parts of the Nation; a plain Demonstration, that as we can't pay Tithes, neither can we receive them, when they are as legal a Property to us as they are to you.
I could say more, but what is said may perhaps be tedious, and thought impertinent, therefore for the present this shall suffice.
To conclude, thou art pleased to give me thy Resolution, viz. to have what thou calls thy Right; and if I could think it was so too, we should soon reconcile this Matter.
Thou adds, if I am willing to live peaceably, (and I desire no other than a peaceable Living) thou wilt be as moderate as I can expect. But this seems an odd Way of shewing thy Moderation, to employ an Attorney; for thou adds, for that Purpose thou hast referred the Matter to Mr. Smith, to do as he thinks fit, and that may not perhaps be the best Way to shew thy Moderation; however, be that as it will, I must tell thee, that what I cannot directly pay, for the Reasons aforesaid, I cannot order or allow another indirectly to pay for me; for although I might bribe my Conscience, as the chief Priests did the Soldiers, and lull [Page 159] it asleep in such Hypocrisy, yet an awaking Time will come on, when every Thought, with every secret Thing, will be brought to Light, and appear as it is.
This with due Respects from him who shall always be ready and willing to serve thee and thine, in any Thing I can with a safe Conscience, and in any Office of Love mayest command
These Letters were exchanged between us some Weeks before I was made a Prisoner, and whether they might soften him or not, I dare not say much; but, as before, he was very uneasy while I was in Prison, and, as I was informed, told his Attorney and his Wife, if he lost his Debt, he could not keep me there.
This Storm being blown over, I enjoyed Quietness, save that I was prosecuted for Church Rates, small Tithes, &c. for the Parson would not let his Dues, as he call'd them, run on again in Arrears, but would take it in Kind every Year, so he never had me before a Justice again, but if he could not have it in one Thing, would take another. I now had nothing but my Business that lay upon me, save the Attendance of Meetings for Worship and Discipline, with Marriages and Burials, which took up pretty much of my Time, there being very few to attend such Services in the Country: So that I had sometimes long Journies on those Occasions.
An ACCOUNT of my visiting Devonshire and Cornwall.
ON the 21st of the Eighth-Month 1715, I set out from Home, and visited Taunton, Wellington, Milverton, Spiceland, Cullumpton, and Topsham, where the Quarterly Meeting for Devonshire was held at that Time: I was at three Meetings there to good Satisfaction. From thence to Sticklepath, and Launceston, where I had a very large and good Meeting. From thence to Port-Isaac and Falmouth, visiting Friends to Penrin: The Quarterly-meeting was held at Falmouth, and I had very agreeable Service. From thence to Penrin, Market-Jew and Penzance, so back to Falmouth. From thence to Austel, Tregony, Love and Liskard, Germans, Plymouth, Kingsbridge and To [...]ness; had Meetings at all these Places, s [...]me of which were very large and well; and at Exeter likewise: From that to Chard, and so Home. In this small Journey I had about thirty-eight Meetings, and travell'd about three Hundred and fifty Miles.
In about a Year or two after this, my Wife was taken with a lingering Disorder, for the recovering her out of which, I applied myself to several Doctors, but all in vain, for she continued wasting more than two Years and eight Months, growing weaker apace a few Weeks before she died, which was in the Eighth-Month 1719. She died in a sweet Frame, often saying, that Nothing troubled her, but that she was so easily deceived about the Parson's Tithe, which [Page 161] being done in Ignorance, not designedly, she was the more easy about it.
After which, I was at a strait what Course to take for some Time, being in Considerable Business, which I kept on that Winter, and in the Spring put it off to my Servant, and left what little Estate I had to him, putting off all Business, and went the next Summer into my own Country, the North, to visit my Friends. I went to the Yearly Meetings at Bristol and London, in course as they came, and travelled from London through Hertson shire Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to Leeds, visiting the Meetings of Friends as I passed along: I was at sundry very large open Meetings in my Way to the Yearly-meeting at York, which was very large, and a great Number of Ministers of both Sexes. I had no Time till the last Meeting, and the Time of that was far spent before I began, but then I took my Time pretty thoroughly, being opened very largely in the distinguishing between true and false Religion, setting them as it were Side by Side, that they might judge for themselves of both the Worship and the Ministry, with their different Effects upon the Minds of Men and Women in regulating our Passions, and reforming our Minds; and opened pretty fully the Danger that Ministers were in, to preach from the Letter instead of the Spirit; and that our former Openings and Experiences alone were not to be depended upon, but our safest and best Support in that Work, was the immediate Ability of the Spirit, opening our Understandings in Matter suitable to every State, that our Words might be sitly spoken, then they would [Page 162] carry their own Evidence, and be serviceable to the Hearers: I was very large and particular on these Heads; and there being sundry Clergymen, and Teachers of other Societies, I did not hear of any Objection made to the Doctrine they heard: But some of our Friends thought, what I had to say about the Ministry would have been better deliver'd in the Meeting of Ministers; but that could not have answered to well, as to the Teachers of other Societies, who might want Instruction in these Things, perhaps more than our own People did. This was a very high Day, and I found in myself afterwards great Satisfaction and Peace.
I now visited Friends towards Kendal, and through Part of Cumberland and Northumberland, into Scotland, having for my Companion a young Man from Sedburg, his Name was John Blamore. I found Friends in that Nation very much decreased in Number, above one Half, and sundry Meetings quite dropt, unless when a Friend came to visit them.
I spent about six Weeks in that Nation, but Nothing extraordinary happened: I returned into Cumberland, visiting most of the Meetings in that County. Our Friends had at Cockermouth appointed a Meeting to be the Day after the Fair, at the Time call'd Michaelmas, and it being in the most hot Time of the Opposition the Pearsons gave to Friends; Job and his Brother being at that Fair on their Business, they gave out, that they would be at the Meeting the next Day, which gave an Alarm to both Town and Country People, so that it was a [Page 163] very large Meeting; and as Job and I had been very friendly before he fell into these ranting Fits, some Friends thought he would shew me some Respect, more than he had done to some others, having been heard at Times to speak in my Favour: But James Dickenson being present, whom they had abused so very much, said, I should be pleased to see a friendly Meeting between Job and my Friend, but I little expect i [...]. The Meeting came on, and was very large, and very open, and quiet, neither Job nor his Brother came, being otherwise employed; having some Concerns with some Country-men in the Fair, they went to an Ale-house to settle their Affairs, and differ'd so much about them, that from Words they proceeded to Blows, and this Fray held the Time of the Meeting, so we were free from any of their Disturbance, and a sweet, comfortable, quiet Meeting we had to great Satisfaction.
From Cockermouth I visited the rest of the Meetings in that Part of the County, and so into Westmorland again, visiting all the Meetings in that County, and through the Dales to Richmond, and York Quarterly-meeting the Winter Quarter, which was very large, considering the Season of the Year. I had sundry satisfactory Times amongst Friends, both in Meetings of Business and amongst the Ministers, in very freely opening, and shewing my dear Brethren and Sisters, in the Openings of divine Life, the Experience and Knowledge that I had attained to in the Work of the Gospel, finding my Spirit much enlarged in the setting forth thereof. But the last Meeting I was at in York, was on the first [Page 164] day in the Evening by Candle light, and the Crowd in the House was so very great, that the Candles would hardly burn, some died quite out with the Breath of the People; the excessive Croud made it very troublesome for want of Room, and not to edifying as if the Company had been less.
From thence I went to Bridlington Gustwick, North [...], visiting Meetings till I came to Bradford and Leeds: I had some very large open Meetings in that Part, as at Brighouse, Highflats Sheffield, &c.
I travelled to Nottingham, and had some Meetings in that County, and so on to [...], had sundry small Meetings thereabout, and some who were convinced in my first travelling thither, were glad to see me, and I them, so we claimed Kindred in the Truth.
I now made a kind of a short Visit in my Way to London, which I visited the thoroughly, staid in the City four Weeks, and had very good Satisfaction: Returning through Part of Berkshire, I had at Reading two very large Meetings, and so into Dorsetshire, having no Meetings after Reading, till I came there, and so to the Quarterly-meeting in Somersetshire, which being the Spring Quarter, was held at Glastonbury, very large it was indeed. Then back to Somerton Monthly-meeting, visiting Meetings to and fro, being at sundry Funerals, both before and after the Yearly-meeting at Bristol, which was this Year very large. From that Meeting I went towards London, visiting Meetings in my Way thither, and after Yearly-meeting was over I returned by [Page 165] Alton, Allsford, Rumsey, Southampton, and the Isle of Wight, and back to Ringwood to the Quarterly-meeting for Hampshire and to Pool Yearly-meeting, it being there this Year. After which I came to Bridport, quartering at Caleb Hills, who married my Niece; and this Summer, before the Yearly-meeting at London, I had made my Addresses to the Widow Nichols, leaving the Matter to her Consideration, and now I renewed the Suit. And in the Eighth-Month with sundry other Friends, went to sollicit the Parliament for an Amendment of the Affirmation, in which Undertaking we were favoured with Success, which was of very great Advantage to the Society, and the good Effects of it soon appeared.
I returned home in the Spring, and then proceed in my Addresses to the Widow, and we were married in the Second-Month, 1722, and we went to London Yearly-meeting together, which was to very great Comfort.
I returned directly Home with my Wife, and being in a Coach, had no Opportunity of visiting Meeting either going or coming. Being got safe Home, I applied myself to assist my Wife in her Business as well as I could, attending General, Monthly and other Meetings on publick Occasions for three Years: Then I had a Concern to visit America once more, which my poor Wife could not at first with Ease consent to, although I had laid it before her when I first made my Addresses to her, yet when it came to be put in Practice was not easily got over. But afterwards she gave me freely up to go with my [Page 166] Son-in-Law; and I got ready and went off, before it was thought of by almost any Body but the Friends in our own Neighbourhood. However, that it might not look like stealing away, I wrote to some of my chosen Friends at London, in the North, Bristol, and elsewhere throughout this Nation, and to some few in Ireland, being willing to advise them where to meet me with Letters in that Country. Now having nothing to do more, my Wife brought me on my Way to Pool, at which Place, before I went off, I received Answers to sundry of my Letters, some of which, if Brevity did not require the Contrary, would well deserve a Place here.
I shall now proceed to my last Journey into America, viz.
An ACCOUNT of my TRAVELS in AMERICA, the second Time, being in 1726, and in the Fiftieth Year of my Age.
I Left my own Home the 22d Day of the Tenth-Month 1726, being accompanied by my dear Wife, a Kinsman, and a Son-in-Law, to Pool, being to take Shipping there with my Son-in-Law Josiah Nickleson, but the Ship was not quite ready; and when it was ready, the Wind being against us, were obliged to stay there about five Weeks, so I had sundry satisfactory Opportunities both amongst Friends and others.
All being ready, my Wife also gone Home some Days before, and the Wind fair, we set sail out of Stutland-bay, the 24th of the Eleventh-Month, [Page 167] with a fair Wind and pleasant Weather, which carried us a considerable Distance off the Land; but it held but three Days, and then we had very contrary hard Winds after that, which made me very sick, and other ways out of Order, so that I almost despaired of my Life for a few Days, but had great Comfort and Peace of Mind, being satisfied I was in my Place, and in the Way of my Duty. I recovered as the Weather grew better, and the Sea quieter, but we had a very long and tedious Passage, being eleven Weeks and two Days upon the Sea, from Land to Land; and on the 14th of the Second-Month 1727, we landed at Hampton otherwise Kickatan in Virginia, and that Evening I got a Passage in a Pool Ship up to Sleepy-bole, and that Night about the 11th Hour I got to Robert Jordan's, being very glad, tho' very weary, that I was got to so good a Place, where I had so hearty a Welcome, and had so great an Income of Peace and Comfort. This being on the Seventh-day of the Week, the next Morning I went to a Funeral about twenty Miles, which was a long Journey on my first Arrival, and considering the Inhabitants are but thin, there was a great Concourse of People on the Occasion, and I had a pretty open Time, considering I had not quite recovered my Weakness; besides, the Motion of the Sea was very much in my Head, so that I had a great Dizziness and Swimming, that made me to reel like a Drunkard, as is common in the like Case.
That Night I went with my Friend Robert Jordan to an Inn, near to the Place where his Son Robert [Page 168] was a Prisoner, who was a pretty Youth, and had a very serviceable Ministry. The Father and I staid with the Prisoner all the next Day, and in the Evening went to lodge at the Prisoner's House, his poor Wife being alone; and although her Husband was confined, she was chearful. We had a Meeting in the Prison to good Satisfaction, many People came to it, and were very orderly.
I then had a Meeting at the Western Branch of Nansemund River, and was at a Funeral of a young Man who was very much lamented.
I went that Night towards Chuckatuc [...], where I had a fine comfortable Opportunity, and on the Road, I had some Discourse with an antient Friend, concerning the Health of the Country, we supposing People did not live so long in Virginia as in Europe. This Friend told me, the first Man-child that was born in the Province of English Parents lived eighty Years, and that many since had lived considerably longer; so that it's not the Climate, but the Intemperance of the People, that shortens their Days, for Experience made it appear, that temperate People lived much the same Time as they do in Europe. But this First-born of the Province was very remarkable, for it was said that he was disaffected to the then government, and had uttered some treasonable Expressions against it, and for that Cause was tried, and sound guilty, being condemned to die for that Crime: But when it was made appear, that he was the first Male-child born in the Province of the English Nation, it was resolved, that he should be pardoned. Thus he was preserved from that untimely [Page 169] End, to run out Nature's Race, which was eighty Years.
I went after this Meeting to visit the Prisoner, and next day was at a Funeral, the People being very humble, by reason of a great mortality, so that preaching the Gospel had a very great Reach upon them, and several were convinced: Next Day I went to Levy-neck, had a Meeting, and went next Day to Surrey Meeting-house to a Funeral, having been at four in about two Weeks. After this I took a Turn round again to Levy-neck, otherwise Pagan Creek, and had a Meeting. Thence to Raskers-neck, had a Meeting, and so round till the Quarterly-meeting was at hand; and then came on to the Prisoner's House, viz. Robert Jordan's, to lodge. Next Day at the Meeting I met a Friend of London, his Name was Joshua Fielding, who had visited the Island, and South-Carolina, and had travell'd by Land to North-Carolina, about five Hundred Miles, in about three Weeks, mostly alone, which was a difficult and hazardous Attempt: Some thought it too great an Undertaking, and seemed to blame him for it, but he got safe through, tho' he had no Provision but what he carried with him, and met with but about four or five Houses or Plantations in all that five Hundred Miles Travel, which obliged him to lodge in the Woods frequently; but having a small Pocket Compass, that was his Guide, when the Sun and Stars were hid from him. But I have since heard, that some others have travelled over this same Ground, (Plantations and Settlements being now placed at proper Distances) with less Hardship, viz. [Page 170] they having a Road mark'd out by the Government, and now they may accomplish this Journey without so frequently lying in the Woods, as when this Friend came from thence. I was at the Quarterly-meeting which held the Seventh and First-day, and it being very hot Weather, made it a little tedious to bear, there being a great Croud of People, but the Meetings ended well, and were of good Service.
Thence I went to Levy-neck, and visited all the Meetings up to Curl's on the Bank of James's River, had an open good Meeting there, though small. Thence to Gerrard Ellison's and had a large and open Meeting. Thence to Rappahannock Ferry, travelling sixty Miles that Day: I lodged at a poor Widow's House, no Friend by Profession, but she was exceeding kind. I had something to say in Prayer before Meat, with which she was greatly affected, and broken into Tears very much, with some others of the Family. When we left her in the Morning, she would not be prevailed upon to take any Thing for our Quarters, but desired that she might be favoured with such Guests often. I gave her Children something, and we left her in much Love and Tenderness. Thence I travelled towards Maryland, about seventy Miles, and had but one Meeting in the Way, where lived one William Duff, who was at that Time a very tender and serviceable Man. The Yearly-meeting in Maryland came now on, which held four Days, viz. Three for Worship, and one for Business. Many People resort to it, and transact a deal of Trade one with another, so that it is a kind of Market or Change, where the Captains [Page 171] of Ships and the Planters meet and settle their Affairs; and this draws abundance of People of the best Rank to it. It being in that called the Whitsunweek.
After this Meeting I visited the Province on that Side of the Bay, fully from Potuxant, and some Places where Meetings had not been, missing no Place till I came up to the Head of the Bay; but Nothing uncommon happened at those Meetings, which were about eight in all. Then I ferried over the great River Susquehannah to Nottingham, in Pennsylvania: Some Friends came from thence into Maryland to meet me, and conduct me over that large Ferry, which was attended with pretty much Danger, it being a wide and very rough Sea, and I seemed in more Danger than I was upon the Ocean in the greatest Storm we met with, but through Mercy we all got safe over, altho' with hard Labour and great Care and Difficulty; and the first Meeting that I had in that Province was in Nottingham, and I had two in that Township. Then I visited the Meetings as they came in course, as New-garden, London-grave, Kinnet, Concord, Chester, Spring-field, and so to Philadelphia. A great Number of Friends came out of Philadelphia to meet me, which gave me great Uneasiness, fearing I should never be enabled to answer the high Expectations that were raised by such a Conduct; and it were better to forbear such Doings, for it is rather a Hurt than a Help. Now I shall give my Opinion of those Meetings which were so very large, several of them amounting to fifteen Hundred, and some more, and [Page 172] mostly another Generation; but very few of the Elders, that twenty Years before were serviceable, zealous Men, were now living; and many of the rising Youth did come up in the Form more than in the Power and Life, that their Predecessors were in; nevertheless, there was a fine living People amongst them, and they were in a thriving good Way, sundry young Ministers being very hopeful, both Men and Women.
I was at three Meetings in Philadelphia, exceeding large, more like Yearly-meetings than common First-day's Meetings; after which I staid but two Nights, being in haste to reach a Yearly or Quarterly-meeting, near 300 Miles further North, at New-port on Rhode-Island, so I travelled from thence to Burlington, Crosswicks, Stony-brook, and Woodbridge, and had Meetings at all these Places. Then to Long-Island. I was at a Yearly-meeting, as they call'd it, at New-town on the first Day of the Week; it was very large of both Friends and other People. There I found sundry of my former Friends, as John Rodman, Hugh Copperthwaite, Samuel Bowne, and sundry others, that had been of great Comfort and Support to me in my Imprisonment on that Island, and we were truly glad to see and enjoy each other in the Truth of the Gospel.
Thence I took my Journey through Connecticut, near two Hundred Miles, to Rhode-Island, and I went round from Newport, visiting the Meetings, as at Seconnet, Cockset, Dartmouth, and back to the Island, and so to the Quarterly-meeting at Newport, which was very large and continued three Days. [Page 173] I was largely drawn forth to the Elders and Ministers, there being pretty many of them, and had very good Satisfaction in all their Meetings. Thence back to a Monthly-meeting at Dartmouth, which was very large; but a Narrowness of Spirit did some Hurt amongst them, and produced some Uneasiness, which I endeavoured to remove, which was chiefly occasioned by a young Man's being, as some thought, too much in the Fashion, although plain, compared with some others; yet some thought this Reason sufficient to refuse his Proposal of Marriage among them, although well recommended from the Monthly-meeting where he was a Member; upon which I shewed them, that as he was so well recommended by Certificate, they could not reject his Proposal according to our Discipline. The Meeting, after we had some farther Conference about it, let the young People proceed, and Matters grew easy, and that Cloud of Difference dispersed and vanished, which was like to hurt both Monthly-meetings.
From thence I went about five Miles to one Joseph Russell's, in order to take shipping for the Island of Nantucket. We met with some Difficulty in the Passage, and were obliged to put into the Island called Martha's Vineyard, but had no Meeting in it. After landing on Nantucket on the sixth Day of the Week, Notice being given, the next Day we had a very large Meeting in the Forenoon, and on First-day it was much greater, especially in the Afternoon, the Inhabitants generally inclining to Friends, there was great Love and Unity amongst them. I desired a select Meeting of the Elders, to whom I [Page 174] had something in particular relating to Discipline and the Ministry, which was of good Service, and well accepted. I staid two Meetings more, and visited sundry Families on the Island, and then took shipping back again, was two Nights on board, and being in an open Boat, and the Weather very hot, it was tedious; several of the Island came with us, and we landed at John R [...]ll's; and from thence (having Nathaniel Starbu [...]k with me) to a small Meeting called Se [...]pe [...]n, and so to Suckenas [...]t. Here a Man gave some Uneasiness, by raising Objections about the Light, as not being universal, rendering the Doctrine, as he would expound it, against Reason, urging, that the natural Consequence must hold forth as many Christs as People, that were enlightened by him. To which I answered, by alluding to the natural Sun, which enlightens the Earth, and every Dwelling, so that we frequently say, when the Rays of Light from the Sun come into the Room, the Sun shines into is; but the Sun is not therefore divided, but 'tis the same Sun that enlightens the House here, that does the same to another elsewhere: Even so is the Light of Christ: He is the true Light that enlighten's every [...] coming into the World. Thus expounding and illustrating the Doctrine of the Light, the People who were but a few, seemed much affected therewith, I had also in my Doctrine that Day laid down, the Kingdom of God or of Heaven to be within, and that it was equally universal with the Light; but at that he cavilled likewise, but made Nothing of it, for I had it upon me to open and set forth what the Kingdom in this [Page 175] Place meant, and how it ought to be understood, plainly shewing, that by the Kingdom of Heaven was meant the divine Seed in the Heart, otherwise called the Grace of God, which, as every one makes the Rule of their Actions, in both a moral and religious Conduct, it teaches us our Duty to God and one another, by which we are brought under the Government of Christ, and thereby made Partakers of that Peace within, which may be justly term'd the Kingdom of Heaven within. So the Objections thus made by this forward Man, though weak and impertinent, gave Opportunity to explain the Doctrine of the Gospel more clearly, so that altho' such Objectors seldom intend any Good, yet Good often comes out of their Objections.
From thence I travelled to Sandwich, Yarmouth, Scituate, and then to a Meeting where Michael Wanton lived, and so for Boston, visiting the Meetings to Lynn, Marblehead and Salem; but nothing happened at any of these Meetings worthy of Note. I came to Newbury, the Town which I mention'd in my first Journey, but there were very few Friends here now, not above nine or ten in all. The People had Notice, but the Room was very small, and the Priest came, and did all he could to hinder the People from coming in, and made a very great Noise concerning the Danger of our Principles and Doctrines. I endeavoured to press him to shew wherein; but he evaded that as much as possibly he could, and charged in General; but by being closely press'd upon, at last he pitched upon our denying the Scriptures, Baptism and the Supper, and the Resurrection [Page 176] of the Body. I bid him hold, and first prove that we denied the Scriptures, and so the rest in order, as they came in course: For I asserted, that we owned the Scripture; and he said, we did not: And I demanded Proof of him, otherwise he must be concluded a false Accuser. He went about it but could make nothing of it. When he had said what he could, I told him, his Accusation in this Point relating to the Scriptures must be [...] for that it was publickly known, that both in our Preaching, and also in our Writings, frequent Rec [...]urse was had to the Text, to prove [...]ur Doctrine, and this must be a plain Demonstration and Proof, that we owned the Scriptures. The People allowed this to be right: And he coming so [...] first, would proceed no farther in that public Manner, but would ha [...]e me go to his House, and t [...]k these Matters over in his Closet. I told him his Meeting-house was more proper for such a Conference than his Closet, and there I would meet him when he pleased; for I told him, that I had heard that he treated the Doctrines held by us, in his Pulpit, very unhandsomely, where he knew none d [...]d to oppose him, and if he would clear these Things up, I should be pleased with an Opportunity to hear him do it in as public a Way as he had de [...]amed us, either to make Proof of his Charges, or retract them; but he would not permit any such Things: He had charged Friends with denying the Scriptures, Christ, the Resurrection of the Body, and that we pretended to Revelation now, although, as he said, it was ceased some Generations since But he being a hot, weak Man, just set [Page 177] up in his Trade, did endeavour to ingratiate himself this Way into the Minds of the People, but he lost Ground by it greatly, so that as he could make Nothing of it but Noise and Tumult, we parted; and I was told, that some of his own People blamed him much, for the Interruption he gave me, and for endeavouring to hinder the People from coming to hear for themselves.
From thence I went to Aimsbury, Hampton, &c. it was Hampton Monthly-meeting, which held but one Day. I was concerned to stir up Friends to keep a faithful Record of all their Sufferings, to be made Use of as Occasion might require, the Priests Hearers making Spoil of Friends Goods to support their own false Ministry, with which some People were so uneasy and oppress'd, that Complaints in almost every Township appeared against them.
From thence I came to Dover, it was their Monthly-meeting likewise: They were very raw, and managed their Affairs but indifferently, chiefly occasioned for want of some better Hands to write and keep their Books in Order. I was likewise concerned here to put them upon recording their Sufferings, and in a Way how to do it; for they were Sufferers not only on Account of the hireling Preachers, to maintain them in their Pride and Idleness, but also on the Account of bearing Arms, which was likewise pretty heavy upon them in some Towns; but then in others their Neighbours were moderate, and made not much ado about them: But some did compl [...] to pay off their Quota about bearing of Arms, who would not pay a Doit to the Parson, they seeing [Page 178] very clearly, that they were wrong, and preached themselves, and for themselves. We had a fine agreeable Time in Conference, and there appeared both great Sincerity and Innocency amongst them; I was at their First-day Meeting, which was very large, and to great Satisfaction. After Meeting, finding that some Misunderstanding was amongst them about the Building of a Meeting-house, we got them together, (my dear Friend Nathaniel Starbuck from Nantucket being still with me) and we endeavoured and persuaded them to Peace and Love, in which we were successful: We appointed a Meeting to be held there, which was attended by all, or the greatest Part of Friends of that Monthly-meeting, and a fine comfortable Opportunity we had, and they seemed all very easy and reconciled one to another.
Thence I went to Strawberry-bank, otherwise called Portsmouth, but it proved an unsuitable Time, because all the Country was come together, the Military Part especially, with all their Arms and Accoutrements of War, to proclaim King GEORGE the Second, (News being come three Weeks before, that his Father died on his Way to Hanover) and also on Account of the Peace that was concluded with the Indians: However, notwithstanding the vast Crowd and Hurry, we had a very quiet, though but small Meeting; and Notice being whispered, that there was to be a Marriage at Dover on a Day appointed, many in Curiosity came to it, and the People seemed much pleased with our Way of Marrying, few of them having been at any before. All [Page 179] ended quiet, without any Dispute. Then we had another Meeting at the new Meeting-house, after which I found a Concern to desire an Opportunity with the Ministers and Elders, which was very readily granted; and I was much concerned to request and advise both the Ministers and Elders, to endeavour to keep in the Unity of the Spirit amongst themselves, that they might be good Examples to the Flock, over which they were to watch, and to be ready and willing to administer good Counsel, which the Apostle calls feeding of the Flock; and this he recommends to the Elders as their Business: And that the Ministers look well to their Gifts, carefully avoiding either to abridge or enlarge in their Ministry beyond the true Opening of Life in themselves, labouring with Diligence and Humility to evince the Truth of their Words by their own Conduct, that no Blemish or Spot might appear amongst them, nor any just Ground to reproach them with teaching others what they did not practise themselves, being careful in Conduct, that their Words and Actions might be agreeable; this would give Authority to their Ministry, and attract Honour and Respect from their Hearers.
From thence I went to visit the Widow Hanson, who had been taken into Captivity by the Indians, an Account of which I took from her own Mouth, being in Substance as followeth: ‘Eleven naked Indians came with Violence upon the Family, and killed two of the Children just as they entred the House; two little Boys more being at Play behind the House, when they heard the Noise, came [Page 180] running in great Surprize, the younger of whom could not be prevailed with to moderate his Grief, whereupon one of the Indians with a Tomhawk (a little Hatchet) struck him on the Head and killed the poor Child, to rid themselves of the Noise, and to prevent their being discovered, and to strike the greater Terror upon those in the House. Then they rifled the House of what they thought proper to carry away. They took the poor Woman, who had lain in but two Weeks, along with them by Force and Violence, with her little Infant, and two Daughters, one Son, and a Servant Maid; it being in the Afternoon, the Indians were in a great Hurry to force them away as far as they could that Night, for fear of being pursued, and the Prisoners retaken. Thus they travelled for twenty Days, passing through many Lakes and Rivers; notwithstanding which they took no Cold, but their Health was preserved.’ The incredible and severe Trials the poor Woman and her Children went through, during their Captivity, I cannot here discribe to the full, in all which they were remarkably favour'd by Providence, induring hard Labour, though they were drove to very great Straits for want of Provisions, being necessiated to [...]at old Bear and Beaver-skin Match-coats, first singeing the Hair off. After my Return to Europe, I saw at Dublin a Relation of this extraordinary Affair in a printed Narrative, which was brought over by a Friend from America.
Now being easy to leave these Parts for the present, I returned towards Hampton, but in the Way had a [Page 181] comfortable Meeting at a Town called Stratham, and so to Hamton, A [...]msbury, Haverill and Newbury, the Place where the Priest before had given so much Disturbance; but although he had Notice of the Meeting, he came not, and but a very few of his People; it was but a small Meeting, yet peaceable.
Then I returned to Lynn, where was a Yearly-meeting, which was very large, and I had good Service in it. Then to Salem, it being their Yearly-meeting for Worship, and Quarterly-meeting for Discipline, which was exceeding large; they had a Meeting of Ministers and Elders, in which I was much enlarged in Advice to both: Then came on the Quarterly-meeting, in which for want of better Writers and Method, they were somewhat deficient in their Business, whereby it became tedious to themselves; I endeavoured to put them in a better Method, which they took very kindly and well: And after this was ended, a Parting-meeting of Worship came on, which was very large, and was attended by abundance of Presbyterians and other People: I was very much drawn forth into various Branches of Doctrine, and the Meeting ended well; no Cavil or Dispute arising, which they are but too liable to. I was informed, that what I had delivered was taken down in Writing, but I never saw it tho' a Friend afterwards had a Sight of it, and the Writer said, he did it with a View to have it printed by Subscription, and get something by it.
Not finding myself clear, I returned back with Friends to Haverill, and next Day had a comfortable little Meeting: Thence to Hampton and Dover, it was Yearly-meeting there: They having in almost [Page 182] every Place once a Year a General-meeting, which they call a Yearly-meeting, and by this popular Title abundance more People come together, in Expectation of something extraordinary there to be met with; it held two Days, and was to very good Content. Next Day, I had a Meeting on Kitteryside, in an old Meeting-house that the Presbyterians had erected, but not being in so convenient a Place for them, they had lest it. Many, both Friends and others came, and before it was quite gathered, the Priest with a large Company came in, and immediately began to pray, continuing a long Time: But as soon as he had done, I spoke to the People with, some Authority, which seem'd to daunt the Priest, who it was thought intended to have taken up all the Time himself, and to have put us by; if he had succeeded, they would have gloried and triumph'd much, but therein they were disappointed. In the Course of my Ministry, I insisted on the Danger of neglecting the Work of our Salvation, speaking cautiously, that such an Omission might be irreparable. The Priest replying, said, that should be express'd, will be irreparable. I desired him not to disturb us, for we did not him; and repeating my Words over again, with this Addition, I dare not speak conclusively of the Mercy of God, who is able by Christ to save us at the Hour of Death. After this he was silent, only writing when he thought he had any Room to cavil, but he was soon weary, for I was very strong both in Power and Doctrine, and great Tenderness was among the People, which was strange to him, and Scripture came very apt to confirm my Doctrine; [Page 183] the Priest growing weary would stay no longer, but walked off, inviting the People to go with him, but very few went. We had a very good serviceable Opportunity, the Meeting ended very quiet and well.
Next Day I went to Portsmouth, having been there before at an improper Time, but now we had an excellent Meeting; then I was at the new Meeting-house, about which they had had some Uneasiness; we had a Meeting to very good Satisfaction, and Friends appeared well reconciled. Then I went once more to visit the Widow Hanson at Knox march, that had, as before, been taken Captive. From thence to Stratham, having had a Meeting there two or three Weeks before, and the People were then very much affected: But the Priest hearing of it, was very uneasy, and went amongst his Hearers, begging and praying them not to converse with the Quakers, if they could avoid it, so that we had but few that came, amongst whom was a Man in Drink, that did cavil, and would pretend to a Disputation, but he was so much in Liquor that he rambled in his Discourse, and know not what he said; he went away in a Rage, cursing as he went along. Thence I came to Hampton, and Aimsbury, and had Meetings at both Places. Thence to Newbury and had a Meeting, to which the Priest was again invited, but he did not come near us. Next Day I was at their Monthly-meeting, which was but dull. Next Day I was up in the Woods, at a new Place, where there were many People, and we had a good Meeting. Next Day I was at a Marriage, which was [Page 184] held in a Presbyterian Meeting-place, a very commodious handsome House, and would contain near two Thousand People, as some said; however, it was as full as it could well contain and the Meeting was very easy and quiet: Sundry Teachers from the neighbouring Towns were there, and I was doub [...] of some J [...]ngling and Dispute, but all went off very quiet and we [...] I was largely opened to set forth the Service of our Monthly-meetings, with respect to taking Care of the P [...]or, deciding of Differences, and taking Cognizance of Marriages: At which the People seemed pleased, wondering that they had no such Order among them: This was a very high Day, and ended well. Next Day I went to Lynn, had sundry Meetings at fresh Places about Lynn, Marblehead, Salem, and in several little Villages towards Boston: Taking my leave of Friends in that Part of the Country, I came to Boston, and had two Meetings there. Then I went to Mendam, Providence and Swans [...]y, alias Wickapinsett, and had Meetings; and then to [...]e [...]uate Yearly-meeting, which held two Days, but nothing happen'd uncommon, save that the Parting-meeting at Pembrook was very large, very open and to good Satisfaction: I had a small Meeting at Hanover and Free-town, and so back to Wickapinsett again, and then for Rhode-Island Quarterly-meeting: The first Day I had something to say to the Ministers and Elders about the Discipline of the Church, warning them to look diligently to the Flock; and setting them know, that the Apostacy was partly occasioned thro' the Ministers and Elders neglecting their Duty, &c. Next Day was the Meeting of Ministers and Elders, [Page 185] and I was very much drawn forth to both. Then I had a Meeting at Providence middle Meeting-house, which was small, but pretty well. then by Mendam I went to Leicester, and had a sweet good Time with a few seeking People, and in the Evening I had a long Conference with a young Woman about the Sabbath, the Sacraments, (so call'd) and some other Points; in all which she seemed very tender, and in a good Frame. I told her, I would not treat her as a Disputant, in an adverse Temper, but as a Sister and Friend in the same Faith in Degree: But she complained much of the Bondage of her Education, and lamented her Case.
From thence I went to Oxford, where was no Meeting settled, nor any Friend in that Place; the Priests did all that in them lay to hinder the People from coming to hear Friends, when any came amongst them, if they knew it; however, we had a good Opportunity. Thence to the Meeting in that great House, not far from Seth Aldrich's, which was a fine full and comfortable Meeting. Then to the Upper Meeting-house, and so to Moshantatuck, and to Warwick, and had Meetings in those Places. I was desired to stay to attend a Dispute. One Hugh Adams, a Priest, had challenged Friends, he having undertaken to prove Infant-sprinkling from Scripture, to be an Ordinance of Christ. But in the Proof he came off very lamely, Samuel Aldrich, an excellent and ingenious Disputant, was by appointment to manage the Argument on Friends Side, and none else: But such Arguments the Priest [Page 185] brought for their Sprinkling as were entirely new to the Audience; one was, the Spray of the Red Sea, when the Children of Israel went through it, by the strength of the Wind sprinkling the Children, viz. Infants, as well as old People; and as the Apostle said, They were all baptized in the Cloud, and in the Sea. This was full Proof of me Point for Infant-sprinkling, he said. But Samuel made an excellent short Discourse on the Text, very much to the Purpose, and he had so much the Ascendant in the Argument on every Branch, that the Priest lost Ground, and several of his Brethren being there were much ashamed of him.
Then I returned back to Rhode-Island, and so to Coakset Yearly-meeting, which was very large; and then to Dartmouth Yearly-meeting, which was likewise very large, and that Evening was a Meeting of Ministers, wherein I had much to say on sundry Heads proper to them: And next Day being the Yearly-meeting, it was very large, as before, there being a great Resort of People many Miles round. It held three Days, and ended to the Satisfaction of most. This Evening, as I was going to Bed, about ten at Night, there was an exceeding great Earthquake, that made a Noise like the driving of Carts or Waggons on an uneven Causeway; it continued about two Minutes, to the great Surprize of the People. It was felt about fifteen hundred Miles, as was after computed, and as was thought by Calculation, was not quite three Hours in going that Space.
From thence I went into the Island; and took my last Farewell of my Friends in that Part of [Page 186] the Country, having made a thorough Visit amongst them. The Weather by this Time grew very cold, it being the Beginning of the Ninth Month; however, I proceeded to Connecticut, James-town, Kings-town, and to Greenwich Monthly-meeting. From thence Seth Aldrich, John Casey, John Earle, and Peleg Spencer, accompanied me, and we travelled into the Presbyterian Country; and first, at a Town called Preston, we had a small Meeting, and hearing of a Funeral about three Miles off, we went thither; the People (who, as we apprehended were Baptists) seemed much surprized, and our not joining a young Man who prayed amongst them, made them look more shyly on us; the poor Man seemed in Confusion: But when he had done, we had a fine Opportunity to good Satisfaction. Then we took our Journey towards New-London, and on the Way had a small Opportunity amongst some Presbyterians; such of them who were bigotted that Way, were hard to speak to about the inward Work, they could not receive it. Thence to New-London on Groton Side, to one James Smith's who was one of Rogers's Kind of Baptists, but his Wife was convinced, and they were under great Persecution by the Presbyterians, both in Body and Goods. I had a Meeting at John Rogers's on New-London Side, and he objected against the Universality of the Light that saves, and about Baptism; he had much to say for the Continuance of Water-Baptism, but at the same Time would allow, that there was no real spiritual Benefit in it at all; and [Page 187] he asserted, that that Light which condemns for Evil, was but the Tree of Knowledge and not saving; but Christ's Light which saves, was another Thing; endeavouring hereby to divide between the Light that condemns, and that which saves, making them two different Principles from each other. I took the Bible, and turning to the first of John the Evangelist, shewed him, that the Light there spoken of, as the Divinity of Christ the Saviour of the World, was the same Principle that condemned the Disobedient, and justified the Righteous; the Principle was not divided in itself, nor was it two Principles, but one and the same in all: And though the Operation of this one Light differed, that Difference, it was plain, was not in the Light itself, but in the different Object on which it did operate; as for Example, the same Heat of the Sun that softens Wax, will harden Clay; but this argues not two different Qualities in the Heat of the Sun, though the Effect of its Heat is different on Wax and Clay: By which (although this, or but few Allegories will hold throughout) the People saw, that his Notion of two different Lights, one saving, the other condemning, had no Foundation in the Text. Then as to Baptism, he divided the Institution into three Parts; first, from John; secondly, from the Apostles practising it; and thirdly, from Mat. xxviii. 19. But I told him, as he had already allowed that there was no real spiritual Advantage in outward Water-Baptism, his imaginary Division of the Institution fell of course; for 'twas against Reason to suppose [Page 188] any Thing ordained or instituted by Christ, to be used in his Church by Believers, could be of no real Service; but thou allowest that Baptism with Water is of no real Service therefore it's no Institution of Christ: But to conclude this Head, we may comparatively with the Apostle say, That it's not the outward Part of Christianity, or Baptism, will do any good to Believers, but in reality he is a Christian, that is one inwardly: And Baptism is that of the Heart, and not that of the Letter, that is really serviceable and saving. Thus we ended this Conference; but he was full of Words, and confused in his Notions.
I had then another Meeting at Groton, though but small; after that we had an Evening-meeting at one John Wood's, which was the best we had amongst that People, where some Objections were made against publick Prayer but their Objections were soon removed. And afterwards at Colchester and Hebron we had some good Meetings amongst the People, tho' it was very difficult to get a Place to meet in at the former: But a Man of Resolution offered a Place, and there being a Town-meeting that Day, we had a large Company, who were very sober, no Cavilling or Disputes in the least. Then we came to Sea-brook and Killingsworth, and had Meetings amongst a People who had separated themselves from the Presbyterians, and inclined to the Baptists, and were getting into a lifeless Form of singing, and expounding in their own Way and carnal Manner, which was likely to be a Snare to their Hurt: We appointed [Page 189] another Meeting amongst them, which was but small, all my Friends save John Casey and John Earle having left me. We now set out for New-York, but had no Meeting till we came to Rye, which was about 81 Miles. I was glad and comforted to be amongst our Friends again, having been so long from them, they being much more agreeable to me than other People. From thence I went to Marrineck, and over the Ferry to Flushing, and it being their Quarterly-meeting, which held three Days, the Meeting of Ministers and Elders was of good Service, among them were some young Ministers; at this Quarterly-meeting we had a solid Time, a large Appearance of young Friends of both Sexes being there. After this Meeting I went with Joshua Fielding a little on his Way to the Eastward; and on returning, I went to visit [...] Friend that was much afflicted with Lowness of Spirits, and in a despairing Way, although he had from his Youth been a very sober and orderly Man, but Providence having favoured him with considerable Substance, he imagined he transgressed in having every Thing too fashionable and too rich, and did not serve his Maker with his Substance as he ought to have done; this was a great Loa [...] upon him.
From thence I visited Westbury on the Plain: Thence to Sequatogue, Huntington, and Oyster-bay, and had good and very full Meetings. Thence to Mantinicock, and to Hempstead, where I had but middling Times, tho' very large Meetings: I was [Page 190] rather more shut up than I had been for some Time before, and being desired to go and give the poor despairing [...] another Visit, I went, and found him much out of Order, which made it unpleasant to be with him. From thence to Hempstead and Jamaica, the Place where I had been so long a Prisoner twenty Years before, and had Meetings at both Places, but the latter was very small for [...]ant of due Notice. Then to Flushing Monthly-meeting, which was much to my Comfort, not having had so good a Meeting for some Weeks before. I here receiv'd some Letters from Friends at the Eastward, which gave me some agreeable Accounts of the Effect my Labours had had, by inclining some to [...]ome to our Meetings who did not before, in several Places where I had Meetings, there being a Prospect of some coming nearer to the Truth and joining the Society; withal informing me of the great Earthquake before noted, how that at New-bury, Haverill, Aimsbury, and Places adjacent, it continued for fourteen Days, and was felt a long Way on the Banks of Maremack-River; the Account was confirm'd by many who felt it, who declared themselves afraid to remain in their Houses during the several Shocks, which returned every twenty-four Hours, continuing about the Space of three Minutes. The Inhabitants did much blame themselves for their Pride and Luxury, taking this to be a Judgment upon them for those Things.
[...] then went back to visit Westbury, Hempstead, R [...]ckway, and had Meetings in all those Places, and to Jamaica again, where we had a large open [Page 192] Meeting, and those my old Neighbours, among whom I had been Prisoner in my first Journey, came generally, and were glad to see me, as I was to see them, and we had a comfortable Opportunity together. After which I visited New-Town, Flushing and the Kilns by New-Town, having a large Meeting; and so to New-York, where I had an Evening-meeting, not very large. From thence to the Narrows over Staten-Island, and to Woodbridge, where I had a Meeting, and about three Miles distant an Evening-meeting. Then to Shrewsbury to their Week-day Meeting, which was small, but very agreeable. Then to Man [...]squan, and back to Shrewsbury on First-day, where was a very large Meeting, and very serviceable. Thence to Middle-Town, where the Baptists sent us their Meetinghouse to meet in, although they had given the Priest Leave to preach there that same Day, so that the Priest and his Hearers came some Time before our Meeting was ended, and enlarged it very much; no Cavil nor Dispute happened, but all ended quiet and well. Thence to Freehold, and had a Meeting in the Court-house to good Purpose; although the People were of an ignorant Sort, who made no Profession at all of any Religion, yet some of them were very well pleased with that Opportunity. Thence to Allen's-Town and Croswicks, and was at their Meetings: then went to visit a Friend who sometimes appeared in publick, and there was a Difference in Sentiments about his Appearance, some approved and others disapproved his Ministry; but [Page 193] altho' the young Man had taken Offence at those who did not like him, we got some of the most Disaffected together, and gave him a Visit, and by confering together, the young Man and those who were dissatisfied came to a better Understanding, which was to all our liking. Thence to Stony-brook, and Allen's-Town, and Croswicks again, to the new Meeting-house, and to Mount-Holly, and had Meetings at them all to Content. Thence to one Meeting more, and to Haddonfield Meeting, Woodbury-Creek, Pilesgrove, Alloway's-Creek, and to Cohan [...]ey; but the Weather being so excessive sharp with the Extremity of Frost, the Meetings were exceeding small. From thence to Salem, and had a very large open Meeting there, and thence to Haddonfield, and Philadelphia, travelling over Delaware-River upon the Ice above a Mile, and came to their Week-day Meeting, which was very small, by reason of the exceeding Sharpness of the Weather: It is almost incredible to think the Hardness of the Frost in those Parts; a Man could scarcely bear any Part of his Skin uncover [...]d, for fear of being froze. I staid in Town over First-day, and from thence went to Frankfort, German-Town, A [...]ington, and Horsham, and so back to Philadelphia, and staid their Meeting of Ministers, and was at three Meetings on First-day, which were very large and good, especially the first and last. Then I visited Hertford, Radnor, New-Town, Goshen, and the Quarterly-meeting for the County of Chester, held at Providence, which was very large, especially the Meeting of the Ministers [Page 194] and Elders, (for there were there the greatest Part of the Ministers in the Province, and several from Jersey Side) it was the biggest Meeting of Ministers I ever was at in those Parts, the Time of the Year consider'd, and I was very much enlarged in Counsel and Advice to them, being never so opened on sundry Heads before; and in the Meeting of Business I was drawn forth to shew the Qualifications of a right and true Elder, and the Excellency of right Government in the Church, which must first be known in our own Minds; for such who have not the Government of their own Spirits, are not fit to undertake the Government of others. And after this I had a Meeting at Middle-Town, and so to Providence General Meeting, but I had very little to say in either of these last Meetings. Thence to Darby, and had a small Meeting, and so to Philadelphia, and had a brave Meeting, insomuch that I was fill'd with Admiration at so uncommon a Supply of new Doctrine every Day, which gave me great Cause to be more and more humble; and when some Friends would speak in Favour of such an Opportunity, or Branch of Doctrine, it would give me a Shock, lest by any of these unwary Commendations, I should take to myself that Honour which was due to the Father of Spirits, and so fall into a Robbery unawares.
From thence I went to Plymouth, North-Wales, Buckingham, Wright's-Town, the Falls, Neshaminy, and Bristol, and had satisfactory Opportunities tho' [Page 195] some more agreeable than others at each Place, and very full Meetings, the Sea on considered. From Bristol I went to Darlington, and was at their Meeting of Ministers, but had nothing to say; I sta [...]d the First-day Meeting, which was very large and serviceable; it was the Quarterly-meeting Time, and the Meeting of Ministers and Elders, and I having had such remarkable Times among the Ministers occasion'd these Meetings to be very large: At this Meeting I was divinely opened with fresh Matter, setting forth the Service of a divine, spiritual Ministry, which was free from all Contrivance and Forecast of the Creature, in preparing itself, either with former Openings, or beautiful Collections of Texts, or Sayings from Books or Writings, all which Gatherings would bring Death, and could be no other in the best and most favourable Construction, though well look'd on by some, than the Ministry of the Letter, under Pretence of the Ministry of the Spirit, which is a Deception of the highest Nature.
Then I came into Pennsylvania to Wright's-Town, was at their Meeting of Ministers, and had a very agreeable Time with them, wherein was shewn the Danger of Murmuring at the seeming Weakness of our Gifts to a Degree of Dejection, and Neglect to exercise ourselves in them, shewing that every Gift of the Ministry was of great Service, though but small in comparison of others, and had a great Beauty in it, and that we ought by no means to flight and neglect it, but to think well, and be thankful that the Father of Spirits hath given us a Gift, though but small. And on the other hand, [Page 196] to exhort such as had a more elegant Ministry, not to overvalue themselves upon their Gifts, but in Humility and with thankful Hearts render the Honour and Praise where due, not looking with an Eye of Contempt on their supposed inferior Brethren and Sisters, but in Love preferring each other to themselves, more especially considering, that mean and plain Diet, handled by Persons who have clean Hands, and clean Garments, though but mean to look at, yet the Cleanness of their Hands and Garments, as also the Diet, though plain, put in decent Order renders what they have to offer very agreeable and acceptable to the Hungry, and for others we need not be so careful. A Friend pleasantly said after Meeting, at his Table, I might freely eat, his Wife was a cleanly House-wife, being willing to improve the Simile, to her Advantage, she having something to say, tho' but little, as a Minister, and her Husband thought she did not give way to her Gift as she ought. The next Day was Quarterly-meeting in the same Place, which was pretty large, and I was drawn forth to set the Degrees of Elders, as well as their different Services, in a proper Light, under the Similitude of the various Instruments made Use of in the erecting of a Building, and that every Instrument or Tool had its Service, when used as Occasion required, and every Builder to use them at a proper Time, and not otherwise. Thence I went over the River to the Jersey Side, to one Meeting, that was large. Thence back to Neshaminy again, and to Bylury, Abington, Horsham, North-Wales, and the great Swamp, and had a Degree [Page 197] of Service and Satisfaction in all these Places. Thence I went to North-Wales to a Funeral. Thence to Perk [...]ming, had a small Meeting, and in coming from thence had an Evening-meeting at a Friend's House, his Name was John Jacobs. Thence to a Funeral at Plymouth, where was a very great Company, and a very good Meeting. Thence to Philadelphia, and was at their Half-yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders: Sundry Friends came from Long-Island, and I was largely opened in it to recommend a stedfast Conduct with Justice and a single Eye to Truth, and its Cause at all Times, and to set forth the Service of Elders and Pillars in the Church, shewing how a Pillar standing upright would bear a great Weight, but if it leaned to either Side, it would bend, and perhaps break before it could be set upright again; warning both Ministers and Elders against Party-taking and Party-making, advising them as careful Watchmen to guard the Flock, as such who must be accountable for their Trust, and in particular, not to dip into Differences, the Ministers especially, either in the Church or private Families, but to stand clear, that they might have a Place with both Parties, to advise and counsel, and so they might be of Service in reconciling those who were at Variance: And I had a Concern to caution the Ministers, in their Travels, not to meddle with Differences, so as to rashly say, this is right, or that is wrong, but to mind their own Service, guarding against receiving any Complaints of Friends Unfaithfulness before a Meeting, which [Page 198] I had [...]ound very hurtful to me; for such Information, without a careful Watch, may influence the Mind to follow it rather than the true Gift. I had it also to caution the Ministers, in their Travels not to be hard to please with their Entertainment, but to shew themselves easy and contented with such as poor Friends could let them have, and to guard against carrying Stories and Tales from one Place to another; and as soon as their Service was done, to retire Home again; for some, be staying too long after their Service was ended, had much hurt themselves, and been an Uneasiness to the Church. I had likewise to caution against appearing too often or too long in our own Meetings, but that Ministers should wait in their Gifts for the Spirit to put them forth; that they carefully mind their Openings, and not go beyond Bounds, for if we do, we shall lose our Interest in the Minds of Friends, and our Service will be lost; always guarding against seeking after Praise, or saying any Thing in Commendation of our own Doings, neither to be uneasy when we have Nothing to say; as likewise to take Care at such la [...]g [...] Meetings, not to be forward nor too long, because a Mistake committed in such a Meeting did much more Hurt than it might do in small Country Meetings. I likewise touch'd upon the great Duty of Prayer, requesting all to guard against runing into too many Words without Understanding, but carefully, to mind the Spirit, that they might pray with it, with Understanding also.
Next Day was the Half-yearly-meeting, being tho first Day of the Week; I was largely opened to [Page 199] shew the Difference between the true and false Church, setting them Side by Side, that they might judge for themselves. I staid all that Week in Town, the Meeting not ending till Forth-day. I was at the First and Third-day's Meetings following, and so took my Leave.
From thence I came to Darby, Springfield, Merion, Chester, Chichestar, Christeen, and Newcastle, and had tolerable good Meetings: Friends being acquainted that I was now taking my Leave of the Country-Meetings were very large, and several of them to good Satisfaction, much Openness and Brokenness appearing amongst Friends. Thence to George's-Creek, Duck-Creek, Motherkill, Hoarkills, Cold-Spring, and so back to Motherkill and Duck-Creek; had pretty good Satisfaction in these Meetings: The Friends in these Parts were but seldom visited, and but very few public amongst them. The Priests, both Church and Presbyterians, attempted to do something, but the People being poor, and Pension small, they gave out for want of Pay.
From thence to Chester in Maryland, it was a Half-yearly-meeting, but the Weather being very unseasonable, made it but small; it continued two Days, and the last Meeting was both largest and best. Thence to Caecil and back to Gilbert Faulkner's, and John Tibbet's, and Duck-Creek, had good Opportunities, and took my Leave after having one small Meeting about nine Miles distant, and so went for the Quarterly-meeting in Maryland at Treaahaven-Creek, it was held in the great House; a good Meeting, but I found some Difficulties and Misunderstandings [Page 200] among them, which did them much Hurt. Next was at a Monthly-meeting in the same Place, where the Uneasiness appeared more plain, but Endeavours were used to reconcile Matters, and put a stop to the Uneasiness. Thence to the Bayside, Tuckahoe, Mars [...]y-Cre [...]k, Ch [...]ptank, and had Meetings in all these Places. Thence to France-quaking, Chickonan [...]om [...]co, Nanticoke, and over Viana-Ferry to Muiberry-Grove, and had small, but comfortable Meetings in all these Places. Thence to the Widow Gale's at Monay, and had a small Meeting here in her House. Thence to Annuamessicks, and had a small Meeting in the Widow Waters's House. Thence to John Curtis's, and had a small Meeting at his House; so to Thomas Crippin's, and had a Meeting in his House, there being no Meeting-houses in these Places: Then one Captain Drummond desired a Meeting in his House, which I assented to, and it was to good Content. This Drummond was a Judge of the Court, and a very sensible Man. Thence to Neswad [...]ks, where was a pretty good Meeting-house, and we had a very large and good open Meeting in it. Thence to Magotty-Bay, and had a very good Meeting at Edward Mifl [...]n's, a fine zealous Elder he was; he carried me over the Bay in his Boat (about twenty Leagues they call'd it) to Nansemund, we landed at old Robert Jordan's, and was at their Week-day Meeting. From thence went towards Carolina, Joseph Jordan accompanying me on my Way to Nathan Newby's, and his Son went with me to his Uncle Gabriel's. Next Day I went to Pascotank, [Page 201] and had a fine open Meeting, which was very large, for the Inhabitants mostly came to Meetings there when they expected a Preacher, and at other Times pretty much. I visited a young Man in the Neighbourhood, a pretty Minister, but in a declining Way; we had a comfortable Time with him, he being in a good Frame of Mind, fit to die. Thence to Little River, and to Perquiman's Booth, to the upper and lower Meeting-house, and had very large Meetings. Thence Gabriel Newby accompanied me towards Virginia back again; the first Meetings we had were at the Western-Branch, Pagan-Creek, and at Samuel Savory's; we had a pretty comfortable Time at the last Place. Then to Swan's-Point, and over James's River to Williamsburgh, and had a small Meeting at each of these last Places: Joseph Jordan being with me, we paid the Governor a Visit, and interceded for his Favour, on the Behalf of some Friends put in Prison on account of refusing to Train; he was very kind, promising to do what lay in his Power for them, and our People in general, and in a little Time the Friends were set at Liberty.
We then went (Joseph being with me) to Skeminho to the Widow Bate's, it was a Yearly-meeting at the Widow's House, which was pretty large and open. Thence to Black-Creek and to Curl's, and had tolerable good Meetings. Then we had a Meeting of Ministers and Elders; there were but a few Ministers in those Parts, but we had a suitable Opportunity to good Satisfaction; and indeed it not often fell out that in such Meetings I was in [Page 202] want of Matter suitable to their States. Next Day was the Publick-meeting, which was large and well. Next Day I was at Wain-Oak (these were all called Yearly-meetings) which was large and well, and Joseph Jordan had excellent Service in it, but I had very little to say. Thence to the Swamp, Gras [...]y Swamp. Cedar-Creek, and Dover, and had fine Meetings, People being very ready to attend them; these Meetings were above the Fal [...]s of James's-River Thence back over the River to Robert H [...]nyoote's, Lemuel Hargrove's, Somerton, and to Nathan Newby's; in all these Places I had Meetings, and some of them very large and open. From thence into Carolina to their Quarterly-meeting, and had a Meeting at James Griffet's House. Thence to Little-River on the Seventh-day of the Week, and first of the Quarterly-meeting: Next Day the Meeting was very large, and I took my Leave of Friends therein, and we had a baptizing Time together. Then I returned back to Virginia, and was at Nansemund Meeting, and had a large Meeting at a Friend's House, whole Name was Levin Buffkin, it was a fine edifying Meeting indeed. Then I came to the Branch, and Chuckatuck, at their Monthly-meeting, but Robert Jordan had all the Time, that being his last Meeting, he being to come to England, to visit Friends, in the same Ship with me. Another Meeting was appointed at Arnold Wilkinson's which was small. After Meeting I went to Robert Jordan's, having been made exceeding welcome, and also had several good Opportunities in the Family. I went to but two or three Meetings [Page 203] more, getting myself ready to return Home, and accordingly we took Leave, and came down the [...] to Kickatan, but we [...] forced, in sailing there, [...] missing the Channel, to be aground by [...]-Nose near twenty-four Hours before we could [...] to Hampton, and when there, staid about a [...] and four Days, George Walker was very kind, invited us to lodge at his House, which we did [...] four Nights, and had a Meeting or two in his House, his Wife being more loving than I expected: [...] was George Keith's Daughter, and in her young [...] Days shewed great Dissatisfaction with Friends, [...] after her Father's Death the Edge of that Bitter [...], abated, and her Husband was very loving and h [...] ty to Friends, frequently having Meetings at his House.
Having laid Wind-bound a Week and four Day [...], the Wind sprung up fair for us, and weighed Anchor the 29th of the Fifth Month 1728, [...] a fresh and fine Gale; Robert Jordan seemed much pleased that we were on our Way, and a seeing Joy fill'd my Heart, being thankful that I had been preserved so well in Health, and assisted with Strength both of Body and Mind to acc [...] plish this long and tedious Journey, through [...] very severe Extreams of both Heat and Cold [...] about eighteen Months, and missed but even M [...] ings, which were far back in the Woods. viz. one in the Government of New-York, two in [...] Jerseys, and [...] in Pennsylvania: I was not [...] to miss them, but my Friends thought the Weather and Season of the Year, together with the great [Page 204] Scarcity of the Provision both for Man and Horse, and the great and thick Snow, with the Extremity of the Frost, render'd that Journey hazzardous, if not impracticable, and to stay till the Winter broke up, I could not see it my Place; besides which, by staying so long I should have lost my Passage by the homeward-bound Ships, otherways I should have been willing to have taken those Meetings, if I could have saved my Passage, and accomplished it so as I might waste no Time, but go on diligently as I had done before, for there were but very few of their Meetings but that I visited two, three, and sundry of them four, five, or six Times, several of them being [...]ated in my Way in passing to and fro. I was not by any Disorder or Sickness, or any Accident hindered (I think I may safely say) one Hour all this Time. Indeed Friends had sent Word to appoint a Meeting for me about thirty Miles on my Way, but the Weather was so extreamly tempestuous, that when we came there, no Meeting was appointed, so, it was concluded I could not possibly come, so I was under a Necessity to stay one Day longer in that Place, which was the greatest Hindrance I met with in all the Journey that I remember.
Now to return: In our Voyage, about 250 Leagues from Land as we thought, the Water seemed like a River after a hasty Storm of Thunder; on seeing it thus, our People were under Surprize, and in that Surprize tried with the Lead for Ground, but could find none; it was so uncommon a Thing, that the Sailors could not tell what to think of it: [Page 205] This was about the 15th of the Sixth-Month; we had fine pleasant Weather, and great Plenty of Dolphins and other Fish, for which Providence I was very thankful; but on the 22d of the same Month, about three in the Afternoon, an exceeding Gust of Wind, such an Hurricane as our Sailors said they never knew, came from the North, which bore so unexpectedly without any Warning upon us, that to all Appearance our Ship would be in a Moment swallowed up in the Sea, the Waves running over us, and the Water coming into the great Cabbin Windows and the Forecastle, so that from five or six Inches of Water in the Hold, it so increased, that we had more than so many Feet in a few Minutes; the Decks seemed as tho' they would break down; being so very heavy with the Waves breaking in upon them, they also staved us above a Ton and a Half of Water in Casks fasten'd upon Deck, washed some Hogs overboard and drowned us several Dozen of Turkeys, Geese, and other Fowls, which afterwards, with the Water and Swine, were much miss'd by us; besides all this, the Wind tore our Sails like Paper, broke ou [...] [...] [...]etopmast, and several of the Yards, like rotten Sticks, and the round Foretop; the Ship by the Violence of the Tempest lying so much on one Side, as though she would not right up again, so that they were for cutting away her Masts and Rigging, but I begged the Master not to do it, but to trust to Providence, for I was satisfied she would rise again as soon as the Wind abated: And the Wind began to abate in a little Time, and the [Page 206] [...]hip righted up, but the Tiller of the Rudder being broke, it was very dangerous, until they had [...]ot the Rudder fastened, which in a little Time before it was dark, was effected with great Difficulty and Danger; but the Sea running so very high, [...]ost the Ship very much, and the Sea came in with that Violence, that there was no Appearance of any Thing but soundering and sinking immediately, for some Time, especially till the Rudder was put to rights; but when they had the Command of the Rudder there were some Hopes of Relief, but while the Rudder was at Liberty there was no commanding of the Vessel, but she lay at the Mercy of the Sea, and it seemed as though that would alone carry away the [...]tern of the Vessel, by being forced through the Violence of the Waves from one Side to the other: But when we had got up the dead Lights, and secured ourselves in the best Manner we could, then all Hands to pump, for we found between seven and eight Feet of Water in the Hold, but as the tossing of the Ship made that very difficult to guess right, it might be more or less; however, having a good Ship, new and firm, we found Hope increased, but we were all very wet, and very much fatigued, and a dark and troublesome Night it was, and we much longed for Day, but the Wind was very much abated, not lasting above two Hours [...] very strong: And when Day-light came we were glad, but that was soon turned into Mourning, by discovering the mean State of our Ship, especially the Rigging and Sails, and finding so [Page 207] great a Loss of Water and fresh Provision, Things of Value, next to Life itself: All these Losses put together were Cause of Trouble, but by grieving we could not help ourselves, therefore we could with the Psalmist, in something of the like Nature, say, such Trials put People to their Wits End; * howbeit, in turning the Mind to that divine Power and Providence which is present every where, ruling both by Sea and Land, and whom the Winds obey, I found Comfort in meditating on his Promises to care for those who put their Trust in him.
Now our Men, who were all preserved from any other Damage, saving the taking of Cold, which we all felt the Effect of to a great Degree, went about putting the Rigging to rights again, which took up a full Week before we could make Sail, the Wind blowing strong and variable; and when they had got Things in a good Condition the Wind was against us for several Days, which made us thoughtful to take Care of what Water and Provision we had, that we might not be surprized with Want, when we had no Power to arm against it. The Men were all call'd up to hear a Proposal, which was thus; Three Pints of Water a Man for twenty-four Hours, and five Pounds of Bread for a Man a Week, having other Provisions, both fresh and salt, a good handsome Stock, to the full Allowance. At this there was Uneasiness; but this Allowance would hold by our Calculation but for about four Weeks, so that [Page 208] if we saw not some Hopes of getting in, in two Weeks, we must come to less Allowance again.
The Wind continued still against us till the 7th of the Seventh-Month, and then veered a little to the Southward, and we apprehending ourselves to be too much to the North, were not willing if we could avoid it, to put into Ireland: But in about three Days after this we had a brave Wind, which lasted for some Days, and it gave us Hopes of seeing Land, which we much longed for, being threatned with Want of Provision, of both Bread and Water, but not Flesh, if Providence did not interpose: Our Hearts were chearful, and Gladness appeared in every Countenance, but alas! it was but a short-liv'd Joy, for in the Forenoon on the 13th the Wind scanted upon us again, and about five in the Afternoon we sounded, trying for Ground, but found none; this made us all look pale, and Sadness of Heart appeared in every Countenance; besides, our Ship being a dull Sailer, added somewhat to our Trouble, fearing that we were farther from Land than we thought by our Reckoning, and the greatest Comfort we had, was a good Ship under us, though a heavy Sailer, therefore we cheered each other with the Hope of gaining our Port in due Time with Safety and Comfort: And this I moralized to myself, by considering the Resemblance of a Christian's Progress through this Life, sometimes in a Degree of Prosperity, being under Encouragement to press forward with a fair Wind, and anon [Page 209] under as great Adversity and Discouragement by Temptations, Persecutions and Afflictions.
In two Days more we sounded; and found Ground at eighty-two Fathom, judging ourselves from the Lizard sixty Leagues; but alas! the Wind veered and blew seven Days strong against us, so that we were driven from Land, as we thought, a Hundred Leagues. This made us talk of shortening our Allowance again, but that Night about twelve o'Clock the Wind veered in our Favour, and the Sailors cried, A large Wind, a large Allowance; Nothing being more disagreeable in its kind than a large Wind and short Allowance. And the Wind being fair, we went on with Cheerfulness, and upon the Credit of this fair Wind some of the Men had not a Morsel of Bread left by Night, nor a Spoonful of Water, and had near thirty-six Hours of their Week to come: However, we went along so agreeably, that every Body look'd pleasant, and it was comely to behold; but alas! this lasted but about sixteen Hours before it came right in our Teeth again, and blew very strong. Such Ups and Downs we had, that the Sailors grew very uneasy, and did curse and swear, nay did not stick to blaspheme in such a Way, as made it very uneasy, and unpleasant to hear; but this did not last long before it was calm, and the Wind came up fair again, and we speaking with a Ship outward bound, they gave us new Heart, by advising us that Scilly bore from us North-East about twenty-two Leagues Distance. Also' this Day we spoke with the King's Ship call'd the [Page 210] Dragon, come from Jamaica, and in the Evening saw sundry Ships coming in; this made it look very pleasant, besides a fine Gale in our Favour, so that on the 27th we saw the Land about five in the Evening, and a Ship to Windward bore down to us, and told us it was the Lizard, and we judged that it bore E. N. E. from us about six Leagues Distance. Next Day the Wind was against us, turning in the Night E. N. E. so that we lost Sight of the Land again, but tacking and standing the other Way we soon saw it, and having the Tide under Foot, through but a [...]eant Wind, we shot in a considerable Way, yet after the Tide was spent we thought we lost G [...]ound, but the Wind wearing to our Advantage, and a better Gale, did help us much, so was on the 28th we thou pretty near in, thinking to have put into Fai [...]ou [...]h, but the Wind being still more favourable, we stood for the* Ramhead; then it grew almost calm, so that what we got by the Flood we lost by the Ebb, and we could but just discern the Edd [...]e like the Mast of a Ship through a Glass, and scarcely at all with the naked Eye; but on the 29th, is being the First-day of the Week, having a fine Tide and good Wind all in our Favour, gave us some Hopes get into Plymouth by Meeting Time, the very Thought of which was agreeable: But alas! by eight in the Morning we found, to our Sorrow, the Tide against us, and the Wind dying away, we lost Ground, but shortly after the Wind blew pretty [Page 211] strong and fair; then we found we stem'd the Tide and got a little forward, and when the Ebb was spent, the Flood with the Wind came in very strong, though a Neap-tide, so that we raised the Land very fast, and about two in the Afternoon came a-breast the Eddistone, about a Musket-shot from it, and had a full View thereof, going along with Pleasure. In about a Quarter of an Hour after this, Pilots came off, several Ships wanting safe Conduct, and about nine we got safe to an Anchor, just by the Passage against Edgcombe House, and on the 30th I landed at Plymouth, and staid in Town that Day, and was very thankful I was safe on Shore again, having been just nine Weeks on our Passage, and the last five of it was a very trying and afflicting Time, but the four first were very pleasant and comfortable.
Being now on Shore amongst my Friends, I took Horse the 1st of the Eighth-Month, and came to Exeter that Night. Next Morning, being the 2d of the Month and fourth Day of the Week, I came Home, and as I entered my own House, oh! the inward Comfort and Pleasure which I felt, ravish'd my Heart, that I could scarce forbear to cry out, God! that God who judgeth Men, is just in all his Ways, and rewardeth Peace into the Bosoms of those who fear and obey him. And being by all my Family and Friends kindly receiv'd, made my Return exceedingly delightful.
In about twenty-two Months and odd Days I finished this Journey, from the 22d of the Tenth-Month 1726, to the 2d of the Eighth-Month [Page 212] 1728, and in that Time I travelled by Land and over Rivers about five Thousand three Hundred and twenty-two Miles, besides passing and repassing the great Ocean; and as I had been out of that Country somewhat more than twenty-one Years, and found so great an Increase of the Professors of Truth, I had a Curiosity to examine a little into it, finding most of the old Meeting-houses very much enlarged, some to hold double, and some treble, and some four Times the People that the old ones would in my first going thither, and even now some wanted to be either enlarged, or new ones built at proper Distances; besides the Account of new Houses built in that Time, in Places where were none, nor Meetings but what were kept in private Houses, which grew so numerous, that Necessity put them upon erecting Houses to accommodate themselves. In New-England and Rhode-Island are twelve: In the Government of New-York are six: In both End and West-Jersey are nine: In Pennsylvania: thirteen: In Maryland four: In Virginia nine; and in North-Carolina three. In all, there have been fifty-six new Meeting-houses built within these two or three-and-twenty Years past, and in these Provinces there are about ten Places more that want where they have none, and many old ones want to be enlarged, not having Room for Half the People. Now the extraordinary Increase of Professors is much to be attributed to the Youth retaining the Profession of their Parents, and marrying such: For chief part of the People in Pennsylvania are of this Profession, as well as in the [Page 213] Jerseys, and Rhode-Island, so that young People are not under the Temptation to many such as are of different Judgments in Religion, as in some Parts.
Now being safe returned Home, I was diligent in my [...], minding my [...], and attended public Meetings, Funerals, &c. until the Year 1740, at which Time I found a concern to visit some Parts of the North, and Ireland, which comes next in course with respect to both Time and Place, viz.
An ACCOUNT of my TRAVELS into the North of England, and Ireland, the second Time, in the Year 1740.
AFTER having acquainted my Friends with what I had in View, requesting, as is usual in the like Cases, a Certificate from the Monthly-meeting, which was readily granted, I left my House the 1st of the Third-Month 1740, and went to the Funeral of an intimate Friend, viz. Thomas Carey of Long-Sutton, the Meeting was very large and well. Thence I went to Street, and so for Bristol to the Yearly-meeting, which was attended by many Friends, and was very much to Satisfaction; I was largely opened both in the public and select Meetings of Ministers and Elders. Leaving that Place I went to Bath, Bradford, Milksham, Chippenham, and C [...]ln in [...], and had in all these Places Meetings to good Satisfaction, in some more than others. Thence to Newbury, Reading, Wickham, and Unbridge, and had Meetings it all these Places, which were pretty well. Thence to London to the [Page 214] Yearly-meeting, where I was more particularly enlarged amongst the Ministers than ever I had been before in England, which gave me some Apprehension it was to be my last, and when I was taken sick, of which in its Place, it seemed to confirm it. I had likewise a very good Time in the Parting-meeting, which confirmed me that I was in my Place. From thence I went to H [...]rtford, it was their Monthly-meeting, and I staid three Meetings in that Town. Thence to Ware and Roy [...]i [...]n, and had considerable Meetings in both Places. Then into P [...]ex, to Saffron-Walden, Thack [...]d and Coggeshall, and had tolerable good Times; so to C [...]l [...]r Yearly-meeting, which was very large, and I had the Company of John Gurney, and Jos [...]a T [...], who both had very eminent Service in that Meeting.
I was taken ill with a Cold, but had so good a Time amongst the Ministers, that I thought myself almost cured; but after Meeting riding to Bury, it brought such a F [...]ver upon me, that I thought I could not survive [...], and this seemed to confirm my former Apprehension, from that uncommon Enlargement I had amongst the Ministers in London, that I should never have another, and this Notion grew upon me, adding much to my Lowness of Spirts however, I was obliged to tarry a We [...]k with my Friend John Drewett, at Bury, and his Kindness and Tenderness over me in that low, weak Condition, was very great and comfortable; he conveyed me to Mildenhall in his Chair, but I was very weak, and obliged to stay at Joseph Ellington's one Week longer, who was likewise very kind and tender over me.
[Page 215] From thence I went to Brand, and through some Part of N [...]k into Line [...], and had very large Meetings at L [...]y, and at [...] a great Number at a Funeral, and Meetings at save at then Places, which were large. I met my dear Friend Jos [...] To [...]t at Ly [...]n, and he was with me at Gedney, and other Meetings between that and Gains [...]rough, and then we parted, and I went into York [...]re, and had sundry large Meetings, considering the Places, as at Leeds, Rawdon, Bradford, [...], S [...]le and Sedbergh; (at which last Place my Mouth was first opened in the Ministry) and on First-day to Kendal, and had two large Meetings, and then went directly for Whitehaven by Cockermouth, but had no Meeting till I came to Dublin, staying in Whitehaven but about two Hours.
I took Shipping the 1st of the Sixth-Month 1740, and landed safe at Dublin the 4th. I staid there two First-days, being under some Disorder, and from thence I went to Drogheda and Monallen, where I was very particular about the Call and Qualifications of true Gospel Ministers, shewing, that wicked Men could not be such; and thence to L [...]an, and had satisfactory Opportunities, Michael Light [...]eet being there at the same Time. From thence to one Meeting between that and [...], and so I went to the North as far as [...]arrey, and then returned back to Toberhead, Old Castle, C [...]thill, visiting Meetings on that Side to [...] and so to C [...]ell, Youghall, and to Cork, to the Province Meeting, and back by Waterford to a Province Quarterly-meeting at Mountmellick, visiting Meetings round as I went to Montrath, Edenderry, and so to Dublin to a Marriage, [Page 216] where for some Time I had very hard Work, but it ended very well: From thence I went into the County of Wicklow, and round by Carlow, visiting the Meetings round to the national Half-yearly-meeting at Dublin, about the 11th of the Ninth-Month.
I found in that Nation a brave, zealous and living People in the Root of true Religion and Discipline, or Church Government, well qualified with Experience in divine Wisdom; but there were also some who seemed very perfect in the Form, and appeared to the outward very exact and zealous against Pride and worldly Customs, but for all that, the Inside was not right, so that I found often very close Exercise amongst them, in warning them against the Leaven of the Pharisees, which was equally, if not more hurtful to Religion than that of the Publicans: And in some Places shewing, that it was needful to be good Examples in Plainness of Speech, as well as Apparel, which many had deviated from; but nevertheless such there were, who tho' plain, and otherwise strict, were too much taken up with the World, and the Riches of it, making Haste to increase their Substance, which was a very great Hindrance to their Growth in the Life of Religion, and made them dwarfish therein; setting forth, that a Form, without Life, whether by Education or otherwise, would not avail; also warning the Ministers in the Exercise of their Gifts, to keep to the Spirit, and mind carefully their Openings, and not to preach the Letter, under a Pretence of Preaching the Spirit, and so instead of ministering Life, minister Death to the People. In the main, I had great Comfort, and many very good Opportunities.
[Page 217] I left that Nation full of Peace in my own Mind, being glad that I went thither: I was at eighty-two or eighty-three Meetings in it, and took th [...] [...]ing the 19th of the Ninth-M [...]h 1740, in Company with my dear Friend Michael L [...]gh [...], for W [...]ington, and was but twenty-four Hours on the Water; it was a rough though very quick Passage: M [...] Friend was very sick, and so was I also, but not to that Degree as he was. We hired Horses to go to Whitehaven, it being about six or seven Miles, and staid there till next Day, it being First-day, and had two Meetings, the last being very large. I visited all the Meetings in and about Cockermouth, and Pardsay, many of which were very large, and then by Keswick to Hawkshead, where I was much comforted, being at Friend Lancaster's House at Colthouse, and had two Meetings there, which were very full.
Thence I went to Kendal, had no Meeting, but next Morning went to Seabergh to the General-meeting, which was small by reason of a deep Snow and very hard Weather. Thence to Preston-Patrick, and back to Kendal, but had no Meeting. Thence to Crook, and had a small Meeting, then back to Kendal to their Week-day Meeting, where was a Funeral. Thence I went to Shap, but it was very bad travelling by reason of the Snow and Frost. Thence to Cumberland Quarterly-meeting, by Carlisle and Moorhouse to Wigton, where it was held; and considering the Season, it was very large, holding two Days: At a Meeting of Ministers and Elders held in the Evening, I was pretty much enlarged, as well as at the other Meetings. I returned back [Page 218] to Penri [...]h, being accompanied by my Friend Rowland Wilson this Journey, who was of great Service to me, and my Friend John Wilson and his intended Son-in-Law met me at Penri [...]h, where we had a very large Evening-meeting, to very good Satisfaction; the Dissenting Teacher, with many of his Hearers were there, and it was very well. Thence to Teril, and to the Monthly-meeting, at Great-Strickland, and so by Slap to Kendal, where I was at three Meetings besides the Quarterly-meeting, and the Meeting of Ministers, all very large and Satisfactory; and the Weather was much warmer. I took my Friend John Wilson's House for Home at Kendal, and James Wilson's at Sedbergh, staid their First-day Meeting, and had an exceeding large Meeting in the Evening. That Meeting, with Cockermouth and Whitehaven, were three of the largest Meetings I had in the North that Journey. Thence to my old Friend Robert Chambers, and to Preston General-meeting, and dear James Wilson and his Wife met me there, it was a pretty large Meeting, but I was much shut up in it; and after Meeting James and John Wilson, with Robert Chambers, and sundry others accompanied me to the Quarterly-meeting at Lancaster, which began next Day, and was very large. These Quarterly-meetings of C [...]mberland, Westmoreland and Lancashire, were three of the largest that I remember to have been at, one after the other, in so short a Time, and they had an excellent Oeconomy in the Management of their Affairs; but there was no Meeting of Ministers at Lancaster, at this Time. It may be said, I think very justly, that these [Page 219] three Counties are in a thriving Way in the very Life of Religion and true Godliness.
Having receiv'd a Line from my dear Wife, that she was weakly, and wanted me to return, prevented my visiting the North as I had in View, so that from Lancaster I had no Meeting till I came to Manchester where I had two good Meetings. Thence to Stockport, Macelesfield and Leck, and had small Meetings at each Place. Thence to Birmingham and had two Meetings, the last a Funeral, pretty large, but not so edifying as I could have desired it. Thence to Worcester, Gloucester, and Bristol, and had Meetings at them all to very good Satisfaction, especially at Worcester, and Bristol.
In this Journey I travelled in Ireland (exclusive of the Sea) six Hundred and seventy-eight Miles, and in England, before and after my Return from Ireland, nine Hundred and Thirty, which in all is sixteen Hundred and eight Miles, and save my Illness at Bury, had my Health as well as I could expect, being humbly thankful, that I was so strengthned both inwardly and outwardly to accomplish my Journey so well, not having, that I remember, left any Thing undone in that Nation, save something I had to say in the Mens Meeting at Dublin, but their hasty breaking up prevented it, which gave me Uneasiness for some Weeks after, and I remark it here for a Caution to others; for I mist such an Opportunity as I could never more expect to have, and this added to my uneasiness. Thus I saw that my Fear of breaking in upon the Meeting, and hindering their Business, made me lose my Time, so that I came off with a Burden upon my Mind.
An ACCOUNT of my TRAVELS since the Decease of my Wife, who after a [...] Illness departed this Life the 6th of the Third-Mo [...]th 1746.
I Set out from my House the 27th of the Fourth-Month 1740, towards the Quarterly-meeting at L [...]ard in Cornwad, which in that County and Devonshire, are usually call'd Yearly-meetings, and had two small Meetings in the Way, viz. at Collumpton and Oak-hampton; thence to Launceston, where we had a very large Meeting, the Place consider'd, the People being very sober and attentive, and the Doctrine of the Gospel flowed freely to them; I was much comforted with that Meeting: Thence to Liskard to the Quarterly-meeting, which by reason of the unseasonableness of the Weather, was smaller than u [...]ual, there being few besides Friends, but Things were tolerably well, and from thence to Plymouth: Friends of both Counties attend these two Meetings. After which I had a Meeting in the Evening at a Parish, where I think but one Family of Friends dwelt, we had a tolerable good Meeting, many People came to it; thence to Kings [...]ridge, and so for Exeter and was at their Week-day Meeting, but had Nothing to say; so by Collumpton to Chard, and then Home, where I staid until it was Time to set out for the Yearly-meeting in Glou [...]ershire, held at Hampton-Read, which being well supplied by sundry able Ministers attending, it was thought to be of good Service.
[Page 221] I returned by Bath, Froome and Shipton-Mallet, had three Meetings at Bath, one at Froome, and one at Shipton, all to very good Satisfaction, and then Home, where I staid some Time; but finding the Constraint of Love to visit London, I waited to be clearly satisfied in the Undertaking, and was not easy to go till the 20th of the Eleventh-Month.
I went by Bristol, and the Meetings were very large, I staid two First-days, and had very good Satisfaction in being there; then I went for London through Wiltshire, and had a tolerable satisfactory Opportunity in the Evening at Chippenham, where sundry Strangers came in; next to Caln, and had a Meeting there also, but not quite so satisfactory; thence to Marlborough, and had a very open Time, many Neighbours came who were very sober and attentive; thence to Newbury, and had a small Meeting; thence to Reading, and was there on First-day both Morning and Afternoon, and had good Satisfaction; thence to Maiden-head, where sundry Friends from London met me; from thence I went to a Meeting at Uxbridge appointed for Hannah Harris; from thence to London, and was in Town four Weeks. In five First-days I visited all the Meetings, and some of them sundry Times over, and had sometimes great Satisfaction and Comfort, but at other Times I was very low and under great Poverty of Spirit; the First-days were hard Service: The Evening Meetings at [...]r [...]e-church-street were very open, and the Gospel flowed to them very plentifully, at which Meetings vast Variety of Hearers frequented, of different States and Professions, but the Fountain [Page 222] being opened, there was a Supply suitable to their Conditions.
After I was clear of the City, sundry Friends accompanied me to Esher, where we had a small but pretty open Meeting; thence to G [...]ford, where we had a very small and poor Meeting. I queried, why they did not give their Neighbours Notice? To which they answered, they did not use to do it. There is a very great Remisness amongst our People in this Respect, for if they were diligent, and d [...]sirous to have the Company of their Neighbours, where the Minister is so concerned, it might be of great Service to them. I went from thence to G [...]almin, where we had a very large open Meeting; thence to Alton, and had two very agreeable Meetings; so to Winchester, where were but a few Friends; then to Rumsey, and had a small Meeting; so to Ringwood Weekday Meeting, which was small but pretty well; thence to Pool, and had a Meeting or two there, and then Home: being very glad that I succeeded so well, both as to Health and Ability of mind, getting Home about the middle of the Second-Month, 1747.
I now visited the Meetings in the Neighbourhood, until the 9th of the Third-Month 1747, and on that Day took my Journey towards Bristol Yearly-meeting, and I had but one Meeting between Home and Bristol; the Meeting there was very large and well. From thence to the Quarterly-meeting for Gloucestershire, it was held at Thornbury, and I had a very satisfactory Time there: Thence I went to Nailsworth, was taken much out of Order in the Night, but went to Meeting, although not very fit for it; my [Page 223] dear Friend Richard Champion came there, and I went with him to his House, which made me think, by the Re [...] and Kindness he shewed, that he was an excellent sympathizing Friend in Affliction, for he [...], for my Encouragement said, he would go to Wo [...]cester with me, for the Meetings were appointed so far; and my worthy Friend went with me thither.
I was bravely recover'd by the Time I got to Worcester, having only Cheltenham and Tewksbury Meetings between that and Nailsworth. I was at Worcester on First-day at three Meetings, and had good Satisfaction and Peace in them. I went thence to Bromsgrove, and had a small Meeting comfortable and well; thence to Birmingham, where I staid the Seventh-day, and went to Coventry on First-day, and was at two Meetings there, which were both open and well, but the latter more so than the first: From thence to Hinkley, Leicester, Castle- [...]nington, and to Nottingham on First-day, where I was at their two Meetings, but few besides our own Professors were there; the Meetings were tolerable well: I had not very agreeable Service, to my own Apprehension, in some of the above Meetings, though some Friends thought my Doctrine suitable to their States, and that is the chief End which we ought to aim at. From thence I went to Mansfield, and had a very full Meeting at a Funeral, with which I had great Comfort and Peace: Thence to Chesterfield, Sheffield, and Warnsworth, and had tolerable good Opportunities; thence to Raw [...]liff, and to York Quarterly-meeting, where I had good Service.
[Page 224] From York I went into Holderness, by Thorn, Iththey, Malton, Crans [...]ick, and Beverl [...], where was a Monthly-meeting, which was, I have, serviceable, being a large Gathering of both Friends and other People of different Perswasions; thence to H [...]l, Welick, Oustwick, H [...]rnsey, and Darlington: O [...] wick was a very large Meeting, the others but small, but not to complain of; thence to Scarborough, where I staid a full Week, and was at two First-day Meetings, which were both large and comfortable; I had seven Meetings in that Place to good Satisfaction; then I had a small Meeting at Stanton-dale, and so to Whithy, and had three Meetings there, but they were laborious, being pretty hard to get through; thence to Moorsam, and at Castleton had a small Meeting; it being Harvest-time many Friends could not attend. From thence to Kirby-Moorside, and lodged with my dear and worthy Friend John Richardson at Hutton in the Hole, and was at a very large Meeting at Pickering, called a Yearly-meeting, but it did not answer Expectation, many of the People, who were not Friends, coming to it as to a Revel, and would afterwards get drunk before they went Home, which gave Friends much Uneasiness, and Room to consider, whether best to continue it or not.
I returned to my old worthy Friend John Richardson, whose Conversation and Company was very agreeable and profitable; thence to Kirby, and had a very comfortable Meeting; so to Bilsdale, Yeaton, Stockton and Yarm, had small Meetings, but pretty open and edifying. At Yarm, my Friend Thomas Couldwell of Darlington, and my worthy Friend [Page 225] James W [...]n and his dear Wife, met me; Thomas C [...]dw [...]ll was their Son-in-Law, and had a few Words in Meeting to good Satisfaction; he was an innocent reputable Man, both in Ministry and Conduct.
James were with me through the County of Durham, where we visited most of the Meetings to Newcastle; from thence we went into Allendale, and had a pretty large Gathering of Friends, the Monthly-meeting being there, and their Business was well conducted, and the Affairs carried on to Edification on and Comfort. From thence to Alstone-Moore, had a pretty large Meeting, and a comfortable Opportunity, it being Monthly-meeting also: From thence to Cornwood, which was pretty full, and I had an agreeable Time. There being here some Convincement, I was opened to shew the Difference between a true and false Ministry, demonstrating the Qualifications of each, that they might judge, whether a spiritual Qualification, which sanctifie [...] and purifies the Conscience, fitting it for the receiveing the Knowledge of the divine Will, by Inspiration of the holy Spirit; or a human Qualification by Literature and Books, with what they call Ordinati [...], too often without the Sanctification of the Heart by the Word of Truth, was most likely to advance the Work of true Religion.
From this Place we went into Cumberland; but after the first Meeting James Wilson went Home to look after his Affairs, it being Harvest-time; but I visited Cumberland pretty thoroughly, and was at Moorhouse Meeting, and so to Coldbeck, but was taken so ill there, that I could not attend that Meeting; [Page 226] from hence I went to Ithil and Cokermouth, Parasay and Whitehaven, but I was very weak and low in my Spirit, when rendered me very unfit for Service. I was at Workington on First-day, and had a very large and open Meeting, so that I was finely recruited, and gathered Strength both inwardly and outwardly: From thence I went to [...]roug [...]ton, Allonby, and to Holm, where was a troublesome Woman, in whom the Spirit which influenced the Pearsons was very strong, she gave some Disturbance, especially to John U [...]win, but no Body said any Thing to her; and after I had spoke some Time, and concluded, she stood up and expressed something to this Effect, Here is a great many fine Words put well together, but where is the Life? And in Meetings she would often cast forth Reproaches and Reflections on Ministers, both of the same County and also Strangers. From [...] we went round to W [...]gton, and I staid there over First-day, but John Urwin left me, I had two very edifying Meetings; and from thence I went to Moor [...], and had a tolerable good Meeting, and so to the Quarterly-meeting at Carlisle, which was very large, and I had good Satisfaction both in the Meetings of Business, and the Meetings of Ministers, to my great Comfort; and these Meetings very much restored me, for I had been very low and weak with the Disorder I took at Coldbeck, but my Friend John Urwin was of singular good Service to me.
In the Visit from Carlisle to Penrith, I went with my Friend John Wilson and his Brother Crewdson, who were so kind as to meet me at Carlisle, and we had a [Page 227] very large, good, open Meeting, and I doubt not, the Power of Truth was eminently felt that Day by some. From thence I went to Great-Strickland Monthly-meeting for Discipline, and to Shap, and had some Service, although I was defected and low; and always when I was in that Condition, I endeavoured in secret to be still, waiting in Patience, with fervent Prayer that I might be preserved in the Simplicity of the Gospel, to appear just as the Truth assisted, carefully guarding against forming any Image or Likeness from a wrong Root, left I should offend my Master, as Israel did in Moses's Absence, by forming to themselves that dumb lifeless Idol the [...], to worship after the manner of the Egyptians.
From Shap I went to Kendal, the Quarterly-meeting for [...] being there, it was very large, and I was much opened in it, having very satisfactory Service both to myself and sundry Friends: From thence I went to La [...]er to the Quarterly-meeting for that County, and had there very agreeable Service. These three Quarterly-meetings succeded one another, viz. Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Lancashire, and are the largest of any I know of in this Nation, and falling so in a Line, gave me the better Opportunity to attend them; I staid at Lancaster over First-day; and had some Service there, where were two Meetings, and both pretty large. From Lancaster I went to Yelland, and had a small hard Meeting, my Friend Robert Chambers and Wife met me here, and I went Home with them, and so to Prestaign Meeting next Day; it was but small and heavy my Friend Sarah Wilson, James's Wife, and some [Page 228] other Friends from that Side, met me there, with whom I went to Brigflats Meeting, it was a fine Gathering, and a comfortable Time. Thence to Dent's Town, where was a General-meeting, which was pretty large and well: Thence to Garsdale, and Ravenstonedale, and had two small Meetings which were edifying, altho' not without some Mixture of Uneasiness and Trouble, chiefly occasioned by Unfaithfulness and Indolence prevailing on sundry Professors, from whom one might expect much better by their Appearances, and the Places they aimed to fill in the Church: Thence to Brigflats Meeting on First-day; and their Monthly-meeting for Discipline being on the fourth Day following, I staid there, and all was conducted to Edification and Comfort; thence to Grayrig, a small Meeting; so to Crook, where some Friends from Windermoore met me; it was but a small Meeting, and we had but a low, poor Time. I came back to Kendal, and was at the First-day Meetings, that in the Afternoon was large, and I opened pretty clearly the Difference betwixt a natural, and a spiritual State, shewing the Necessity of the last, in order to qualify for the Knowledge of divine Things, as that Knowledge is not to be attained to by the natural Man; we had an edifying and good Time. James Wilson's was my Home while at Brigflats, and John Wilson's at Kendal, during my Stay there.
I went from Kendal to Bentham, and had a considerable large Meeting to Satisfaction; thence to Settle, and was at their Monthly-meeting for Discipline; thence to Skipton, and had a small Meeting there; and so to Eradford, where I was on First-day, and [Page 229] had pretty good Satisfaction; this Week gave me a good Degree of Ease and Chearfulness of Mind: Thence to Rawdon, Leeds, Gildersham, and to Bradford Monthly-meeting, which was very small, chiefly occasioned by the Inclemency of the Weather, it being very heavy Rains and a great Flood; and I returned to Leeds, and so back to Rawdon, and to the Monthly-meeting at Asquith, where I met with dear Benjamin Kidd; the Meeting was pretty large, and I think to good Purpose. I returned to Leeds on First-day, it being my last and farewel Meeting; the Widow Hornor's House was my Home, and in it I had great Peace of Mind and Consolation, though she was at that Time under a very trying Exercise, which gave her some uneasy Thoughts; but considering the great and close Trials she had undergone, she bore it with great Decency and Patience, plainly demonstrating, that she was highly favoured of Truth, and always dwelling near it, to the Comfort of her Family, and all sensible Friends who had the Opportunity of her desirable and edifying Conversation.
I left Leeds, and went to Wakefield to a Funeral, on which Account the Meeting was somewhat larger, tho' it was a very stormy Day, and much Snow fell at that Time; John Scott was with me, and we had a tolerable good Opportunity: Thence I went to Pontefract, and had a small Meeting; it was a deep Snow, and very hard Frost, which made it very bad Travelling; thence to Warnsworth to their Monthly-meeting, where Roger Shackelton met me, and staid with me till after First-day, John Scott being [Page 230] still with me, but [...] then [...] we went from thence to [...] to the Funeral of a worthy [...] had a very large Company, who were [...] and sober in their Behaviour; thence to [...] house, and had a small Meeting; thence to [...] and had two large Meetings there to pretty good Satisfaction: I stop'd one Night at my Friend Peter Adam's, at Cutt [...], and then I went to [...] and had a small Meeting there, and so to [...], and had another small one, thence to Nottingham Week-day Meeting, and so to [...] on First-day, here John Scott left me. The Morning-meeting was but small, but that in the Afternoon was much large, and both were to pretty good Satisfaction. I was at two or three small Meetings in the County; and then I came back to the Quarterly-meeting at Leicester where I had a satisfactory Time before the Business came on, which was conducted with Prudence and Love.
From Leicester I went to a general Monthly-meeting, in a Parish called W [...]g [...]on [...]u [...]- [...] on First-day, where the Meeting was pretty large, and to good Satisfaction; and that Evening came back to a Meeting at Leicester, Benjamin Halme being there also, and the Meeting was well and comfortable: Thence to [...], and had a comfortable Time, and so to Nu [...]n, and had a very large Meeting, which I hope was to good Purpose; then to C [...] try Week-day Meeting, and to [...]; these Meetings were of some Service, but not large: Thence to Warwick on First-day, and had an Evening-meeting [Page 231] the third Day following, which were all comfortable Opportunities: Thence to Ha [...]y and had a small Evening-Meeting; but Friends were too negligent in acquainting their Neighbours, for which I had Cause to blame them in several Places. From thence I went to Bi [...]ti [...]g [...]m, and was at their Sixth-day Meeting, which was small; I staid over First-day, and had two Meetings to pretty good Satisfaction, and I was comforted; the fourth Day following I was at their Monthly-meeting, which was well conducted, and I had an edifying Time in it to the Elders, to keep their Places as Watchmen over the Youth▪ and to be good Examples, and to take Care the Poor were not neglected, but assisted in due Season. From thence I went to Scourbridge and Bewdley; at Scourbridge we had fine large Meeting, sundry People came in, besides Friends, and it was of good Service: From Bewdley I went to Worcester on First-day, the Morning-meeting was small and heavy, but that in the Afternoon was large and more open; from thence to T [...]s [...]ury, and had a very open, good, edifying Opportunity, tho' but a small Meeting; thence to [...], where altho' I requested Notice might be given, it was neglected, and the Meeting was very small; from thence to Painswick, where I much press'd Notice might be given to their Neighbours; I El [...]ewi [...]e gave several Notice of the Meeting myself, de [...]ing them to acquaint others of it, and by this Means we had a large and open Meeting; I hope it was of good Service to some, they being very sober and attentive: From thence to Nail [...]worth, and although it is a very considerable [Page 232] Meeting, if not the largest in the County, it was very small, yet we had a comfortable Time together. Thence I went to Thornbury on First-day to a Funeral, which was very large and open; from thence to Bristol and was at the Third and Sixth-day Meetings, and on First-day at two Meetings, which were all well and comfortable, thence back to Thornbury to the Funeral of a worthy Elder, Thomas Ally, he was much respected, which his Neighbours manifested by giving their Attendance at the Meeting, which made it very large; and many divine Truths were opened, which appeared to Satisfaction, there being Teachers of sundry Professions, who were very attentive: Thence to Frencbay, a small Meeting, and so to Bristol; I was at the Sixth-day Meeting, and at a Funeral in Temple-street, where many of the People called Methodists came; I said over First-day, and had two Meetings, being edified in both, but the last in Temple-street rather exceeded: From thence I came to Dassil near Shipton-Mallet, and had a very satisfactory Meeting at Roscombe, about a Mile off Dassil, where sundry Baptists, M [...]ts, and other Diffenters came, being all very sober and attentive; and indeed what much contributed to enlarge the Number was, that the Baptist Teacher gave Notice both to his own People and the Inhabitants of the Place, and gave his Attendance himself; and after Meeting he came to the Friend's House where we dined, and desired a little Conversation, which was readily complied with; this gave some reason to think he intended to object, but it proved to the contrary, for he was rather two much abounding in his Praise, [Page 233] commending what he had heard more than I approved of, wanting to know, whether I had not studied that Sermon (as he called it) before I came there: My Answer to it was, I knew not when I came there, whether I should have any I being to say or not, so far I was from having any Thing provided beforehand: He said it was a very good Sermon, and very suitable for them who heard it. He was very loving, and so we parted.
From Roscombe I came to Long-Sutton, and had a small Meeting; thence to Sherborne Meeting, the smallest I ever was at, or had in that Place, and to but little Satisfaction; the Smallness of the Number was much owing to the want of Notice to the Town's People; from thence to a Funeral at Yeovill, of an antient Woman of ninety-five and upwards; a large Company of Neighbours attended the Corps, and we had a good Time, the People being very serious, and seemed edified with what was spoken; from thence I came Home, it being the 16th of the Twelfth-Month 1747.
I staid at Home, and visited the neighbouring Meetings until the 2d of the Third-Month 1748, and then went towards Bristol Yearly-meeting, but had no Meeting till I came there, except the Monthly-meeting for the North Division of the County of Somerset, and though it was very small, the Affairs thereof were conducted with Prudence and Judgment; thence to Bristol Yearly-meeting, which was to general Satisfaction.
From Bristol I went to Bath, and had a small Meeting, and so to Pickwick; I had a small Meeting [Page 234] at Corsham, and then went to Bradford on First-day; the Morning-meeting was small, but pretty open, that in the Afternoon was very large, and I was concerned to distinguish between the Theory and the practical Part of true Religion, and many of the People called Methodists being there, were very attentive; all was quiet, and ended well; thence I went back to Pickwick to the Mens Monthly-meeting, and the adjourned Quarterly-meeting for the County, it was very small, which manifested too much Neglect amongst the Elders of the Society there for the Service of these Meetings. From thence I came to the Devizes, M [...]ksham, and Market-Lavington, and had a Meeting at each Place, which were pretty comfortable; so to Salisbury on First-day, and had two large Meetings there: A great many Methodists came to both Meetings, and were in their Appearance and Behaviour very agreeable; several were partly convinced, and constantly attended Meetings; I had very suitable Doctrine to their unsettled States, and seeking Conditions, for they seemed to be enquiring the Way to the Kingdom, with their Faces thither-wards; and I hope there will be an Increase in that Place to our Society.
From Salisbury I went to A [...]ton, and had but one small Meeting there, and so for London to the Yearly-meeting, which was very large; and many hopeful young People of both Sexes attended it, who seemed very likely to come up in the Places of the Faithful already gone, and a going to their long Homes, and my Heart rejoiced to see and find in them a right Concern for the Cause of the Gospel, and [Page 235] Zeal to keep up the Testimony their Parents joyfully suffered for: We had several acceptable and edifying Times, and the Affairs of the Meeting were conducted in great Love and Condescension, and ended well; the last or concluding Meeting was very large, and the only one I had a particular Concern for before I left Home, but I was almost shut out, being so narrowed up for Time by those who appeared before me, that it seemed quite unseasonable and dangerous to hold the Meeting longer, and not like to comport with the Health of the People: but yet my Age and Infirmity considered, and it appearing doubtful whether I might have the like Opportunity, and being press'd in Spirit thereto, I stood up under great Fear and Weakness; but I was immediately strengthened by the good Word of Life, through which I was helped, and came off beyond my Expectations, being afterwards filled with divine Peace and Consolation, which confirmed me that I was in my Place and Duty.
I staid in London over First-day, but had no Service in public Ministry, except at the Morning-meeting of Ministers on Second-day, where I was very much drawn forth to the Ministers, the Meeting being very large with Country Friends, and I was much comforted in that Meeting. Next Morning I went, with my worthy Friend Samuel Waring, by Esher to Alton, and staid their First-day Meeting, and had a Meeting at Great-Fraile, and staid the Monthly-meeting at Alton, which was comfortable and well, tho' not much Appearance of Service: From thence I went to Rumsey, but was taken very ill on the Road, [Page 236] and was very much fatigued, but next Day was bravely recovered, and had a small Meeting with the two Families, which was very comfortable; thence to Ringwood on First-day, and had two open Meetings; the next Day was their Quarterly-meeting, where their Affairs were well conducted: The Day following was the Yearly-meeting of the two Counties of Southampton and Dorset, pretty large both in the Forenoon and Afternoon, and were of good Service to Appearance. Thence to Pool to the Quarterly-meeting of Dorsetshire, and I staid there over First-day, and had two pretty full Meetings, especially the last, which was very large and open; many divine Truths were clearly and plainly declared to the People, who by their Stillness and Attention manifested a good Disposition to hear and be informed; I staid the Fourth-day, and then came Home the last Day of the Fifth-Month 1748.
An ACCOUNT of my JOURNEY to Bristol Yearly-meeting, and to London, Norwich, &c.
I Left Home the 17th of the Second-Month 1749, and had one Meeting at Croscoume, or Coscoome, near Shipton-Mallet, to good Satisfaction; thence to Bristol, and staid the Yearly-meeting, where I had some very agreeable Opportunities, both in the select and public Meetings. Being clear of that Place, I proceeded by Chippenham, Caln, and Marlborough, and had a Meeting in each Place; thence to Newbury, being First-day, and had two Meetings, the last pretty large and agreeable; thence to Reading, Henley, [Page 237] Wickham, and Uxbridge, had but small Meetings, tho' satisfactory Opportunities at each Place: From Uxbridge I went to London, and had sundry very acceptable Times in the select Meetings of Ministers, and was largely opened in the public Meetings, and I found my Concern to grow upon me; but when I was clear I left London, in Company with John Wilson of Kendal, who went to visit his Wife, who had received some Hurt by a Fall from her Horse near Billerica; she lodged at a Friend's House in a Parish called Stock, and I lodged at my Friend Samuel Arnold's Country-house. We found John's Wife finely recovered, and we rode together next Day to Colchester, being the 27th of the Third-Month, the Yearly-meeting beginning next Day, and the Quarterly-meeting for the County the Day following, and the select Meeting of Ministers on the Morning of the third Day of the Week, which appeared to me but of little Advantage; but the public Meetings were both very large and edifying, and ended well, and to good Satisfaction. Thence to Maningtree, and had a small Meeting, and so to Ipswich, and was at their Weekly-meeting in Company with Jane Hoskins (formerly Fenn) and Elizabeth Hudson, both from Pennsylvania, who had agreeable Service amongst Friends: I staid in Ipswich over the First-day, and the last Meeting was very large, being appointed about the fourth Hour in the Afternoon, and many of sundry Professions were there, and were very attentive and sober; and some very much affected and broken into Tears, so that I hope that Meeting was of Service to many: I was largely opened on [Page 238] the Subject of working out our own Salvation, and the Means whereby it is attainable.
From Ipswich I went to Woodbridge, it being the Quarterly-meeting for the County of Suffolk, and there being some Uneasiness amongst them, Friends were concerned to advise them to a Reconciliation, lest by continuing in their Uneasiness, they should be wounded by a Breach of Union and Affection. The Meeting, by Adjournment, held all Day, and Friends seemed in a tolerable Sweetness and Condescention one to another, though a party contentious Spirit had too much got in among them. Next Morning was a Meeting of Ministers, to good Satisfaction; and then the Yearly-meetings of Worship followed, which were exceeding large, and the Parting-meeting the Day following; they were all very much to Satisfaction: In the Parting-meeting I was much enlarged on the progressive Advancement in a living and saving Faith, which is the very Life of true Religion; and we had a small Meeting the Day following, being their Weekly-meeting. Then I went to Brandon, Edmund Peckover being with me, and he had very good Service, and the Meeting ended well; then I went back to Woodbridge, and staid over First-day, but there were very few besides Friends, though it was expected the last Meeting would have been large, but for want of Notice it was not. Thence to Layston and Peason-hall, and Beckles, and had a small Meeting at each Place, but to tolerable Satisfaction; thence to Mutford and Paikfield, and had as large Meetings as the Accommodation would permit; what was chiefly wanting, was Room for [Page 239] the People in both Places; thence to Yarmouth, and had a pretty large Meeting to Edification; thence to North-Walsham, and had a small Meeting to little Purpose; thence to Norwich Yearly-meeting, which was very large: I was enlarged on the Qualifications of true Ministers, shewing, that without the divine Aid of the Spirit of Truth, that Work could not be rightly performed to the Edification of the Hearers.
From Norwich I went to Lamas General-meeting, which was very large, too much for the House to contain, but the People were very quiet; thence back to Norwich, staid there the Week-day and First-day Meetings following, where I had ten Meetings, though in two of them I had Nothing to say, and the Meetings were mostly very large and to good Purpose, being full enough for my natural Strength to go thro' with; but thankful and glad I was, finding inward Strength and Assistance every Day to help me through so well, to my own Comfort and his Praise, who is God blessed for ever; and he has given me Faith to believe, that so long as he engages my Mind in the Work of the Ministry, he will give a fresh Supply of Strength, both inward and outward, adequate to his Requirings. From Norwich I came to Muttishal, Windham, and Teasborough, and had a Meeting at each Place, the last was enlarged considerably with Friends from Norwich; Things were middling, no Cause of Complaint; but I was under great Poverty of Spirit in these small Meetings: Thence to Diss to a general Meeting; Friends from Norwich and other distant Places came in and attended us, that it laid me very low indeed; but I saw [Page 240] in the Opening of divine Virtue, that as the Blessing of Christ my Master, upon a small Quantity of but plain and low Food, gave Satisfaction to a Multitude, more than we were like to be, so I found it best to retire to my Gift, and be still: The Meeting was very large, quiet, and well, and I was concerned to set forth the Fully and Emptiness of all Forms of Religion, without the Virtue and Power of the Spirit of Christ, and was opened on this Subject very largely, much to my own Satisfaction, all being quiet and well. Thence to Bardwell, and had a small Meeting, which was pretty well; thence to Bury, and so to Ratlesdon; I had three Meetings at Bury, and one at the other Place, all to pretty good Satisfaction.
From Ratlesdon I went to Walden, Royston, and Baldo [...]k, and so to Hitching, but had but low Times in all these last Meetings; thence to Hartford and Ware, and had tolerable good Satisfaction in both Places; thence to Bishop-Stortford, and Dunmow, and had a small Meeting at each Place; and so to Chelmsford on First-day; Things were well and comfortable: Thence to Billerica, and had a small Meeting, and then went with my Friend Samuel Arnold to his House, in a Parish called Stock, and staid some Days, and then came with him to London, being the 20th of the Sixth-Month 1749.
I staid Town several Weeks, and my Concern grew upon me, and being filled with Gospel Virtue, I had some very agreeable Service, visiting all the Meetings in the City, some three or four Times over, and the First-day Meetings were very full, but Week-day Meetings were small.
[Page 241] Finding myself easy and clear of the Town, I left it in great Peace on the [...]d of the Eighth-Month 1749, and came to Ether to a small Meetings so to Guild-ford, Godalmin, and Alton, Basingstoke, Bagburst, and Andover, and had some very agreeable Times, and in the main was pretty well satisfied. Thence to Salisbury, and had a very full Meeting, sundry Methodists being there; so to Fording-bridge, and was at a Funeral, where many People attended; I had good Satisfaction in being there, and left the Place in much Comfort and inward Peace; thence to Ringwood, and had a pretty large Evening-meeting to good Satisfaction, thence to Pool, and so to Weymouth, and had Opportunities in both Places; and from thence I came Home, being the 2d of the Ninth-Month 1749.—
From this Time it does not appear that our dear Friend kept any Account of the Meetings he attended, but upon Application to his Monthly-meeting, they sent us the following brief Testimony of his Service, from the Time he finished his Journal to his Decease, viz.
From our Monthly-meeting held at Bridport, the 21st of the Ninth-Month 1755, to Friends at their Second-day's Morning-meeting in London.
THE Journal of our dear and worthy Friend Samuel Bownas, seems to break off somewhat abruptly, ending the 2d of the Ninth-Month 1749, [Page 242] and we cannot find that he kept any Account of his Travels, Labours and Services in the Ministry, from that Time to the Time of his Decease, which was on the second Day of the Fourth-Month 1753, during which Time he took no long Journeys, for being advanced in Years, his Hands shook and Eye-sight failed him much, but he was very diligent in attending Meetings both at Home and in the Neighbourhood, for twenty or thirty Miles round, as long as his Health and Strength continued; and his Ministry was lively and powerful to the last, to the Edification and Comfort of those that were favoured with it, and his Removal was a great Loss to Friends in these Parts, but we have Reason to believe it was his great Gain, for in his last Illness, which was very short, he seemed quite sensible of his approaching Change, saying, that he could not stay long with us, and hoped that kind Providence would be pleased to take him to himself.
- JOSEPH CURTIS,
- ROBERT CURTIS,
- THOMAS WESTCOMBE,
- WILLIAM KENWAY,
- JOSEPH HUTCHINS.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF THAT Ancient Servant of JESUS CHRIST, JOHN RICHARDSN, Giving a RELATION of many of his Trials and Exercises in his Youth, and his SERVICES in the Work of the Ministry, in ENGLAND, IRELAND, AMERICA, &c.
LONDON PRINTED: PHILADELPHIA, Reprinted and Sold by WILLIAM DUNLAP, at the NEWEST PRINTING-OFFICE, in Market-Street, 1759
THE TESTIMONY OF FRIENDS belonging to Gisbrough Monthly-meeting, concerning our Worthy Friend JOHN RICHARDSON, who departed this Life, near Hutton in the Hole, the 2d of the Fourth Month 1753, in the Eighty seventh Year of his Age, and was buried in Friends Burying Ground at Kirby-moorside.
AS many of our Elders are removed, and but few left who had personal Knowledge of this our Friend in his younger Years, and early Part of his Service, we cannot give so full an Account thereof as otherwise might have been done.
Nevertheless, by Accounts transmitted to us, we have Cause to believe he was much devoted and chearfully given up to walk in the Way of his Duty, and therein was of great Service to the Churches where his Lot was cast; as also an Instrument in the Divine Hand, in turning many to Righteousness.
As to the latter Part of his Life, we have this Testimony to give of him, That he was a Lover of Discipline and good Order in the Church, diligent in attending Meetings for Worship and Truth's Service, whilst of Ability; a good Example therein, by sitting in a still, quiet, and unaffected manner in Silence, and when raised up to bear a publick [Page iv] Testimony, was comfortable and acceptable to Friends.
And when his natural Faculties were somewhat impair'd, and he confined at home thro' old Age and Infirmities, he appeared more and more heavenly minded, and seem'd to grow in the Life of Religion, that we hope he is now at Rest in the Fruition of that Happiness prepared for such as hold out to the End in well doing.
- JOHN SNOWDON
- WILLIAM PEIRSON
- JOHN FLINTOFT
- JOHN WILSON
- THOMAS WARD
- ONESIPHORUS HOOPUS
- ISAAC STOCKTON
- JOHN BAKER
- THOMAS WOOD
- JOHN STEPHENSON
- ISAAC TAYLOR
- THOMAS ELLERBY
- CALEB FLETCHER
- JOHN MARTIN
- GEORGE COATS
- GEORGE MASON
- JOSEPH FLINTOFT
- RICHARD WILSON
- WILLIAM HARTAS
- JOSEPH HESLETON.
TESTIMONY OF FRIENDS, from the Quarterly-meeting held at YORK.
ON reading the Testimony given from the Monthly-meeting of Gisbrough, concerning our late ancient and worthy Friend John Richardson, deceased, of which we approve, and do find ourselves under an Engagement to add this short Testimony; that from certain Experience of the Service he has had amongst us in a fresh and lively Ministry, and in the exercising of the Discipline of the Church in a Gospel Spirit, whereby many received Comfort and Edification; and some of us having Knowledge of him from his early Appearance in the Ministry, remember that he was acceptable to Friends, being sound in Doctrine, reaching to the Witness of God in those to whom he ministred: He was a diligent and faithful Labourer, travelling several Times through most Parts of this Nation, and visited Friends Meetings in Scotland and Ireland, as also twice the English Plantations in America, leaving many Seals of his Ministry having had the Approbation and Unity of [Page vi] his Friends with his Service both at home and abroad. He was a tender nursing Father in the Church, over the Youth whom God had visited, to [...]ncourage and strengthen those newly convinced, to whom also he was a good Example; and though of a sweet and courteous Disposition, yet careful in the Spirit of Wisdom, to caution and guard such against the deceitful Workings and false Representations of the Spirit of Error; and to divers of us who visited him towards the Close of his Time, he appeared in a heavenly Frame of Mind, to our great Comfort, evidencing a Preparation for that eternal Bliss whereinto (we doubt not) he is entered, and reaps the Fruits of his Labours.
- BOSSELL MIDDLETON
- JOHN SCOTT
- ROBERT HENDERSON
- EDWARD STABLER
- ROGER SHACKLETON
- LAYTON FIRBANK
- WILLIAM HIRD
- JOHN FLINTOFT
- WILLIAM COWELL
- JOHN BIRKBECK
- JOHN KILDEN
- THOMAS ROWLAND
- SAMUEL GRIMSHAW
- WILLIAM CONNING
- THOMAS ALDAM, jun.
- WILLIAM PAYNE
- JOHN GREENWOOD
- JOHN HUSTLER
- CALEB FLETCHER
- WILLIAM BROWN
- ABRAHAM SUTCLIFF
- JOHN SUTCLIFF
- JONATHAN CRAVEN.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF JOHN RICHARDSON, Introduced With a brief Relation concerning his Father WILLIAM RICHARDSON.
IT has been repeatedly revived in my Mind, to leave the following Account concerning my dear Father WILLIAM RICHARDSON, having also seen something of his own in Manuscript, concerning his Convincement, with Remarks on some other Things; but I being young when he died, did not their much heed it, and when I would gladly have seen it for my own Satisfaction, I could not, nor as yet can meet with it; therefore,
Inasmuch as my Father was early convinced of the Truth, a Sufferer [...]or it, and bore a public Testimony to it, I found it my Duty, as near as I could remember the Contents thereof, to leave this short Account concerning him, viz.
[Page 2] He was born at North-Cave, in the East Part of Yorkshire, in the Year 1624, of honest Parents, and of good Repute, and was educated in the Ep [...]s [...]pal Way being soberly inclined from his Childhood and upward, a Lover and Seeker after Purity and Virtue: And I have heard him say, gave his Mind much to Retirement, reading the holy Scriptures, breathing and seeking after the Lord, especially in the Fields, being by Calling a Shepherd; and it pleased the Lord to open his Understanding so clearly, that he saw and longed for a more excellent Dispensation to come; and also saw that the Priests were wrong, and generally proud and covetous, so that he was weary with following them, and much weaned from them and all Company, except two or three Men who did meet with him, and spoke one unto are her concerning their inward Conditions, and what they had experienced of the Lord's Dealings with them. This was before they had heard of the Name Quaker, os it was in a short Time after given to the People which the Lord raised up to give Testimony of the notable and antient, yet newly revived and blessed Dispensation of Christ's Coming, and Manifestation by the holy Spirit, inwardly in the Hearts and Minds of the Children of Men, in order to enlighten, quicken, sanctify, and save them from Darkness, Death, Ignorance and Sin, that they might be made capable of obeying, worshiping and glorifying the great God and Sanctifier of them.
And as my Father was thus waiting and looking for a more general breaking soath of this glorious, powerful and Gospel-day, which had in a good degree [Page 3] sprung up in his Heart, he had not, as yet, see [...] that worthy and good Man GEORGE FOX, although he passed through those Parts about that Time; but soon after came WILLIAM DEWSBERRY, and at the Sound of his Voice, I have heard my Father say, he was exceeding glad, in hearing him declare the Way to find the lost Piece of Silver, the Pearl of great Price with in, a Saviour near, that had been held forth by Men to he at a distance. But having left the darst Watchmen, of whom they used to enquire, they now met with their Beloved at home, in their own Bosoms; renowned be the great Name of the Lord, now and for ever.
Thus the hearing and receiving the ever blessed Truth, was as the Seed, or Word of the Kingdom, sown in the gold Ground, or honest Hearts of Men, which took Root downward and sprang upward, and brought forth Fruit in some thirty, in some sixty, and in [...] an hundred Fold, to the Praise of the great and good Husbandman.
My said Father was early raised up to bear a public Testimony, which was living and acceptable to Friends, but was so much attended with Weakness of Body for many Years, that he went little abroad in the Work of the Ministry. He suffered patiently the Spoiling of his Goods, and Imprisonment of his weakly Body, in the great and more general Imprisonment; he not only believed in Jesus Christ, but suffered for him; he was a good Neighbour, a loving Husband, and a tender Father over all that was good, but severe to all that which was wrong, and was for Judgment, without Respect of Persons, and [Page 4] spared it not even to his own Children; and especially he was much concerned for me, for, as he said, I was the wildest of them; and as he lived well, and believed in Jesus Christ, I doubt not but he has finished his Course in the Love and Favour of God, is entered into Mansion of Glory, and is at Rest with all the Faithful who loved not their Lives unto Death, but rather hated them in Comparison of that endeared and unfeigned Love the bore to God the Father, and to Jesus Christ his dear and well-beloved Son; who died for them, and also for the whole World.
He departed this Life in 1679, aged about fifty-five Years, and was decently b [...]a [...]ed in Friends burying Place in Hatham, near Cave, where he was born.
NOW having given this short Account concerning my Father, it remains with me to leave to Posterity some Remarks on my Convincement, with an Account of sundry Transactions, Travels, Healings, and Deliverances I met with, in and from my Youth to this Day, with some Advice and openings in the Spirit of Truth.
I was young when my Father died, not above thirteen Years of Age, yet the Lord was at work by his Light, Grace and holy Spirit in my Heart, but I knew not then what it was which inwardly disquieted my Mind, when any Thing which was evil did prevail over the Good in me, which it oftentimes did, for want of taking heed to that of God in my [Page 5] Heart; I desired Ease and Peace some other Way; without taking up the Cross of Christ to my own corrupt Will, and strove for some Time (as no doubt many do) to make merry over the just Witness until for a Season the converting and true Witness of God seemed to be slain, or disappeared, and then I took Liberty, but not in grooss Evils which many ran into, being preserved religiously inclined, seeking after Professors, and enquiring of them, for my Information and Satisfaction, to find (if I could) any Thing that was safe to rest in, or any true and solid Comfort to my poor disconsolate and bewildered Soul, but I was afraid I should be deceived, or take up a false Rest in any Thing that was wrong or unsafe [...]; which Was the great Love and Mercy of God to me. But after many Searchings and Enquirings among those who were but in the Letter without, and in the outward Court, where the Veil is over the Understanding, and the Eye of the Mind is not truly opened to see into Things that are invisible, and hid from all carnal-minded Men; even so was my State and Afflictions hid from them, and all the deceitful Workings of Satan, and the strong Temptations which I met with, these Mind Guides could not see, nor their veiled Understandings know how to direct me [...] the true Shepherd of Israel, the Law-giver coming out of Sion, that turns away Ungodliness from Jacob, and Transgression from Israel; not having truly experienced Deliverance wrought in them out of this cloudy, bewildered and tempted State which I was in. Oh! that People would come to him that hath the Eye-salve, with which if the Eye be truly anointed, [Page 6] it will see clearly Things as they are, and not darkly, mistaking Trees for Men, and Things terrestial for Things coelestial; and that they would buy Gold, tried by the Fire of him that is called the tried Stone, clect and precious, laid in Sion for a Foundation: This is Christ whom the true Church believes in, and builds upon, and they are enriched with his Love, Power and Virtue, which is better than Cold outwardly; this is the Anointing, and the Un [...]tion, which the true Church hath, and doth receive from Christ the hold One; and such as do truly put on his Righteousness, Purity, and Holiness, their Cloathing is better than that of fine Linen outwardly. Oh! that all the Inhabitants of the Earth might be thus anointed, enriched and truly cloathed, that no more inward Blindness or Poverty may he found in the Children of Men, nor the Shame of their Nakedness be any more seen, now or hereafter.
Receive and learn these Things, you that can, of him that is the faithful and true Witness, that always witnesseth against the Evil in Man, but always giveth Witness to the Father, for the good in Men which they do say and think. This is the Spirit of him that was dead, and is alive, no more to be known after the Flesh, as the Apostle gave Testimony, and is to be known inwardly and spiritualld by the Children of Men, to open the blind Eye, and unstop the deaf Ear, and pierceth into the Soul that hath been clouded and captivated, imprisoned and misguided, and even in a Wilderness, and sees not a Way of Deliverance; like Israel in the Land of Egypt, when the Lord JEHOVAH sent Moses, a lively Type of Christ, [Page 7] and employed him in that great Work of pleading with, and plaguing Pharath and the Egyptians; yet for a Time their Burthens and Afflictions were increased, and their Exercises more imbittered unto them, until that great and marvellous Work was in a good degree accomplished, which was their Deliverance out of Egypt, the great and mighty Work for which Moses was chiefly sent; which Deliverance was not wrought until the First-born of Man, and of Beast, was [...]am throughout all the Land of Egypt.
Now the clear Opening I had in the Light, of what is to be understood, and gathered from hence, is not the slaying of the outward Man, but a putting off, or slaying the Body of the Sins of the Flesh, crucifying, or putting off the old Man with his Deeds; and as to the Beast, all Cruelty, Lust, Pushing, Tearing, Devouring, and Savageness, is to be slain or put away; and the corrupt or strong Will of Man, as well as what is beastial, must be slain before Man can come from under the Power of him who is called the Prince of the Power of the Air, who rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience. These Things must be experienced, before the Children of Men can go forth rightly qualified to glorify God, and follow his dear Son, whom he hath appointed to be a Leader, and a Commander of his People: This is he, as Moses declares, who is to be heard in all Thing [...], under the Penalty of being cut off from the People; or of having their Names blotted out of the Book of Life; or being deprived of the Comforts of the Lords holy Presence. Read this, you who have heard and understood what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.—These Thig [...] I [Page 8] saw, after the true Witness arose or revived; and the Light did shine which had disappeared, or had been clouded. I have been led into these Openings, which have caused a little Digression from my Wilderness State I mentioned before, which I now return to.
After much Searching without, amongst those who proved to me Physicians of no Value, and miserable Comforters, I betook myself to a lonesome and retired Life, breathing after, and seeking the Lord in the Fields, and private Places, beseeching him, that he would bring me to the saving Knowledge, of his Truth; and blessed be the Name of the Lord now and for ever, I had not sought him long with all my Heart, before I met with his inward Appearance to me, in and by his holy Spirit, Light and Grace; but when the true Light did begin so shine more clearly, and the living Witness did arise in my inward Man, Oh then my undone, bewildered and miserable Condition began to appear, and then great and unutterable were my Conflicts, and the Distress I was in; I thought no Man's Condition upon the Face of the whole Earth was like mine; I thought I was not fit to die, neither did I know how to live; I thought in the Evening, Oh! that it was Morning; and in the Morning, that it was Evening. I had many solitary Walks in the Fields, and other Places [...] which I many Times poured out my Complaints and Cries before the Lord, with fervent Supplications to him, that he would look open my Afflictions, and the strong Temptations I was then under, and that he would rebuke the Adversary of my Soul, and deliver it, for I even thought it was as in the Jaws of a devouring [Page 9] Lion, and amongst the fiery Spirits, and, as it were, under the Weight of the Mountains. Read and understand the Afflictions of thy Brother, thou that hast come through great Tribulations, and hast washed and made thy Garments white in the Blood of the Lamb; this is the Beginning of that Baptism which doth save, and of that Washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghost, which the Lord sheds upon the Believers in abundance; this is the Blood which sprinkleth the Heart from an evil Conscience, that the Children of Men, thus changed, may serve the living and true God; this is the Life which converts the World, even as many as are converted; this is the Virtue, Life and Blood, which maketh clean the Saints Garments, and inwardly washeth them from all Filthiness, both of Flesh and Spirit. I found this was and is he of whom it is said, by him were all Things made, and he is Lord of all; a Man ought to be subservient to him, and all Things in Man subservient to him, who commands and comprehends all Things, in whom all the Types and Shadows also do end, or are fulfilled. Head this thou Virgin Daughter, or clean Church of Christ, the Rock of thy Strength, whose Name to thee is as precious Ointment poured forth, and because of the Savour thereof, the Virgins love him, and are under great Obligations to obey and follow him the Lamb of God, wheresoever he leadeth.
Although I had seen many Things, and had divers Openings, yet great were my Trials, and many were the Temptations I met with in those Days, for I lived at a Distance from Friends, and Meetings [Page 10] which made my Exercise the harder, as will more [...] hereafter [...], in the Course of my Travels and Pilgrimage in this Vale of Tears and Troubles, and some of them not very common; but the Lord helped me through them all, blessed be his Name for ever.
I now came to witness that Scripture to be fulfilled, which saith, that when the Lord's Judgements are in the Earth, or earthly Hearts of Men, the [...] learn Righteousness. And notwithstanding there was an Aversion in my with Nature to the People in [...] called Quakers, as also to the Name itself, yet when the afflicting Hand of the Lord was upon me for my Disobedience, and when like Ephraim and J [...]dah, I saw in the Light my Hurt and my Wound, I bem [...]ed myself, and mourned ever that just Principle of Light and Grace in me, which I had p [...]ced with my Sins and Disobedience; and although that Ministration of Condemnation was glorious in its Time, yet great were my Troubles, which humbled my Mind, and made me willing to deny myself of every Thing which the Light made known in me to be evil, I being in great Distress, and wanting Peace and Assurance of the Love of God to my Soul; the Weight of which so humbled my Mind, that I knew not of any Calling, People, Practice, or Principle, that was lawful and right, which I could not embrace, or fall in with. This was surely like the Day of [...] Troubles, and David's Fears; I saw that the Fifth of Sion was to be purged away by the Spirit of Judgment and of Burning; this is the Way of the Deliverance and Recovery of poor Men out of [Page 11] the [...]all, and the Time of the Restoration of the Kingdom to God's true Israel. Read ye that can, and understand. This was the Day of my Baptism▪ into the Love of God, and true Faith in [...] Son, as also into a Feeling of, or Sympathy with him in his Sufferings, which were un [...]e able, and I found that Ministration changed; that which had [...] Death, was now unto Line; and the Ministration which was of Condemnation unto the first Birth, when that was slain, and in a good degree na [...]ed or fastned to the Cross of Christ the Power of God, then the Good prevailed over the Evil, and working out the Evil in the Mind, and also in the Members, made all good or holy. The Lords living Power, and consuming burning Word, when it works and prevails, it brings into Subjection, and maketh the very Heart or Ground holy in Men.
Whereas there had been an Aversion in me to the People called in s [...]rn Quakers, and also to their strict living, and Demean [...]ur, Plainness of Habit, and Language, none of which I learned from them; for when the Lord changed my Heart, he also changed ray, Thoughts, Words and Ways, and there became an Aversion in me to Vice, Sin and Vanity, as there had been to the Ways of Virtue; but having tasted of the Terrors and Judgments of God because of Sin. I was warned to flee from such Things as occasioned Christ's Coming, not to bring [...], but a Sword; a Sword indeed, yea, his Heart penetrating, searching Word, which is [...] than any two-edged Swordd that pierceth to the cutting, or dividing a [...]nd [...]r between First and Spirit, J [...]ints and [Page 12] Marrow. And as thus I came to see and abhor the Evil in myself, when such who had been my Companions in Vanity reviled me, or came in my Way, I was often moved to warn and reprove them, having, as before hinted, tasted of the Terrors of the Lord for Son, I could not well forbear to warn others to flee such Things as I had been judged for. Now I came clearly to be convinced about the Hat-honour, bowing the Knee, the corrupt Language, as well as finery in Habit; all which for Conscience-sake, and the Peace thereof, I came to deny, and take up the Cross to, and had great Pence in so doing.
Although the blessed Truth thus prevailed in me, yet notwithstanding, I was not without great Conflicts of Spirit, Temptations and Trials of divers kinds; nevertheless, my Mind was resigned to the Lord, and my fervent Prayers were to him, and he kept me, and opened my Understanding, for I was afraid of being m [...]sled in any Thing, especially relating to my Salvation: I came to be weaned from all my Companions and Lovers which I had taken Delight and Pleasure in, and all Things in this Would were little to me, my Mind being much redeemed out of the World, and not only the corrupt and evil Part thereof, but even from the lawful Part; so that my Heart and Mind became much inclined and given up to seek the Lord, waiting upon him to feel his Presence, and Peace, and to know his Will, and receive Power to do the same.
As thus my Mind came to he brought into a depending and waiting Frame upon the Lord, and to be stayed in the Light, and experimentally and feelingly [Page 13] [...] partake of his Love and Grace, which help [...] me against my Infirmities, (blessed be his Name) [...] [...]ound it sufficient for me, as I kept to it, in all [...] and Temptations: Then I came to see, that [...] the outward Performances in Matters of Religion [...] not avail nor render Man acceptable to God, but a [...] the Heart came to be truly given up to him, that [...] [...]ht not only purge it from Defilement, but [...] clean through the Indwelling of his holy Spir [...] And, as ne [...] as I remember, I saw clearly [...] these Things before the sixteenth Year of my [...] although, between the Death of my Father and this Time, I took Liberty to go among what People I would, my Mother giving us great Liberty, although she was a Woman west accounted of among all People who knew her, and not undeservedly, for her Industry and fair Dealing concerning the Things of this World.
After this Time I attended the Meetings of the Lord's People called Quakers, as diligently as my Circumstances would well admit. My Mother being le [...]t with five Children, I had only one Sister who was elder than myself, and three Brothers younger, the youngest about three Years old when my Father died, he leaving but little of this World to bring us up with; yet my Parents always had as much as kept them above Contempt, and no Body lost by them; but I found myself under a Necessity to work hard for my own Support, the Help of my Mother, and Education of my Brothers, more especially as my Sister died soon after.
[Page 14] We being last in a Farm of Grazing, and part Husbandry or Tillage, did well as to the Things of this World, yet I cannot well omit mentioning one Thing which became a great Exercise to me, which was thus; my Mother married one that was zealous for the Pres [...]tery, and I being much against it, shewed my Dislike to the Marriage, and told my Mother, I was afraid that she had too much an Eye to what he had, for he was counted rich as to this World; but if she thought to [...] our Portions in so marrying, the Hand of the Lord would be against her, and a Blasting or Mildew would come upon even that which we had got through Industry and hard Labour, and what the Lord had [...] have blessed to us, if we kept faithful to the Truth, and contented our [...] with our present Condition. Then my Mother confest, that as to the worldly Enjoyments, it had not been [...] with [...]r than now. I must write with great Caution; she was my Mother, and a tender Mother over me, and was [...]oth to offend me, and had promised, as far as she well durst, not to marry with any one with whom I was not satisfied. But as to their Proceedure in Courtship, and Marriage, from this Time I was intirely ignorant, until it was accomplished. But when my poor Mother was married, her Cry was, My Son, how shall. I ever be able to look him in the Face any more, it will be such a Trouble to him; be that [...]ath not at any Time dis [...]ged me, but if I bid him go, [...]e ran; and if I bid him do any Thing, he did it with all his Might; or to that Effect, as several told me who heard her. But she being married, what we had was mixed with my Father-in-Law's Goods, and [Page 15] my Mother died first, and our Father married again, made his Will, and dying, left me Five Shillings for all my Part, which was of Right to descend from my own Parents upon me; I gave his Executors a Receipt in full, and there was an End of all, except some small Matter given to my youngest Brother, for the rest of my Brothers and Sisters were dead. As near as I remember, this Marriage was in the eighteenth Year of my Age, so that what I foresaw about the Blast and Mildew, came to pass.
Now to return to my further Account concerning the Troubles and Trials that attended me in the Time while I was in my Father-in-Law and Mother's House, after Marriage; we, and what we had, being removed to his House, except Part of the Stock which was left in the ground. Now I foresaw that I was like to come to a great Trial, and I was brought very low, what with the Trouble about the Marriage, and the Exercise of my Mind concerning my own Condition, having had many great Conflicts of Spirit, so that I was almost in Despair, had not the Lord, in whom I believed, risen in his Power, and rebuked the Adversary of my Soul, I had been overthrown, and swallowed up in the Floods of the Temptations that were cast out of the Mouth of the red fiery-like Dragon after me, in this the Day of my great and strong Trouble and Travail; but the God of Love and Pity saw me, and helped me in my Distress, and in a Day and Time acceptable; he that heard poor [...] when he cried from under the Shrub, and sent or gave Relief to him and his Mother, who with him was gone from Abraham's House, saw me [Page 16] in this great Streight. Also, when I came to my Father's House, he being a Man much given to Family Duties, of saying Grace, &c. before and a [...]e. Meat, none of which I could comply with, except felt evidently the Spirit of Truth to attend [...], and open the Heart and Mouth into such D [...]es. The first Day I came to the House, being [...] the Table with all or most of our Family, I the [...] Is it now come to this? I must either displease my heavenly or earthly Father: But oh! the Awfuln [...]s, or deep Exercise which was upon my Spirit, and strong Cries that ascended unto the Lord for my Help and Preservation that I might not offend him. My Father-in-Law sat with his Hat partly on, and partly off with his Eyes fixed on me, as likewise mine were on him in much Fear; so we continued as long or longer than he used to be in saying Grace, as they call it, but said Nothing that we heard; so at length he put on his Hat again, to the Wonder or the Family: Neither did he then, or ever after, ask me why I did not put off my Hat; neither did he perform that Ceremony all the Time I stayed with him, which was above one Year: Thus the Lord helped me, renowned be his great Name now and for ever. My Father might seem for Age, Spirit and Understanding, so have been much more than a Match for me a poor Shrub, but the Lord (who caused the Pillar of the Cloud to be bright and give Light to Israel, and brought Darkness upon the Egypt [...] [...], and fought against them, and for Israel) I [...] touched and smote my poor Father, that he could [...] rise up against that Power the Lord helped me [...] [Page 17] For it was not mine but the Lord's doing, to him be given the Attributes of Praise, Salvation and Strength, now and for ever. I saw clearly, that there could not be any true and acceptable Worship performed to God, but what was in the Spirit, and in the Truth, neither could any pray aright, but as the Spirit helped them, which teacheth how to pray, and what to pray for, and rightly prepares the Mind, and guides it in the Performance of every Service which the Lord calls for from his Children.
I found my Father-in-Law was much displeased with my going to Meeting, yet I could not see what Way to appease his Displeasure, except in being very di [...]gent (which I was) in his Business, rather beyond my Ability, working very hard; it is almost incredible what my poor little week Body went through in those Days, but all would not gain his [...] the longer I stayed with him, the more he Love declined from me; although I told him, [...] about my Wages, for I would leave [...]: I could not see what he could have against me, except my going to Meetings, however that was all he alledged. N [...]w when his former Stratagems would not do, he offered me a Horse to ride on, if I would go with him to his Place of Worship, I met with many a Sn [...]b and sour Countenance from him, in my return on Foot from Meetings, although as seasonably as my Body was capable of performing; for my Father commonly sent me on the First-day Mornings into the Fields a Mile or two, and as far upon a Common to look at Beasts, Horses, and Sheep (all this on Foot) I thought with a Design [Page 18] to weary and make me uncapable of going to Meetings; all which I bore patiently, neit [...] [...] at I remember, ever said, this is hard Usage; [...] this, to the great Grief of my poor Mother, I ha [...] to go two, three, four, five, and sometimes six Miles, to Friends Meetings. After I had walked fast, and ran sometimes with my Shoes under my A [...]s for want of Time, I have seen many Friends weep, and could not forbear when they [...] come into the Meeting very hot and in a great [...], they being in part sensible of the hard Ta [...] I had to u [...]d [...]go.
There is one Thing [...]m what remarkable, which was thus; one First-day Morning when I was about going to the Meeting, my Father said, if I would ride upon such a [...] M [...]re, as he mentioned, I might; which was one of the greatest of ten or twelve Horses which he kept, about four Years old, and not before rid at all: I thought his Design was more to hinder me of the Meeting than any Good to me, or any Expectation of getting his Mare rightly broke, but I accepted his Offer, only asking how I might catch her? Having got Help to answer that, she being abroad, I put on the Bridle and mounted the topping Beast, and upon her first Resistance, down she came; for that was my Way: And it the first or second Fall did not, the third mostly cured them from striving to [...]ow the Rider; I commonly sell upon my Feet, and endeavoured so to free my Legs that she might not fall upon them, and then sprang up on her Back while down, and made her rise with me; so away we went, and came in due Time to the Meeting. This was partly the beginning of this [Page 19] Way of managing Horses by me; so I rid to the Meetings two or three Times, and then my Father asked me, if the Mare did not carry me soberly? I replied, she did; then I must have her no more, he would make her his Saddle-Mare; so I betook myself to my Feet again, except some other such like Turn came. The Lord's mighty Power bore me up, and he gave me as it were Hind's Feet, and enabled me to go through these Exercises, and to bear the Burthen in the Heat of the Day of my Trials, inwardly and outwardly, which were many and various.
Now the last Stratagem my Father used to hinder my going to Meetings was thus; he took me in his Arms in great shew of Kindness, saying, if I would be as a Son to him, I should find he would be a Father to me, expressing something about his having no near Kindred, (and much more to the same Effect he said to my Brother Daniel, who was an innocent, wise, and clean-spirited Lad) I reply'd to him, if in thus making me thy Son, thou intends to hinder me from going to Meetings, or to oblige me to go with thee to the Presbyterian Meetings, or any Thing that is against my Conscience, I cannot upon this Bottom be thy Son; and, for the same Reasons, I refused to be his hired Servant, although he offered to hire me, and give me Wages. Now when he saw that neither Frowns, Threatnings, Hardships, nor great Promises of Kindness could prevail with me, he told me bluntly and roughly, I should stay no longer in his House: I innocently answered, I could not help it if it must be so, as all I could do would not give him Content, without hurting my Conscience, and the Peace of my Mind, which I [Page 20] valued above all mutable Things of this World. My poor Mother heard my pleading with him, and how I offered to do the best for him I was capable of by Night or Day, (as I always had done) if he would be easy, and let me have his Countenance; but this was the Sentence, No, I should not stay in the House: And indeed that troubled my poor Mother so, that I was forced to leave my Father, and go to endeavour to mitigate her great Trouble [...] her, that if I was but faithful, the Lord, I believed, would take Care of me that I should not want; and the more fully to discharge myself, I remanded her, that as she had entered into Marriage Covenants with her Husband, she should endeavour to perform them, and in every Thing faithfully to discharge herself as a Wife ought to do to a Husband, and leave me and all, and cleave to him, and to make her Life as easy as she could: I also told her, never to send me any Thing that my Father know not of, for I was not free to receive it; although what we had was in his Hand, and all sunk there, as I mentioned before.
I write this partly, that all who do marry, may take special heed that it be done with great Caution, and under due Consideration, and the Lord sought to in it, that it may be done in his Counsel, and not only nominally, but truly in his Fear, and then no doubt but it will be well with both Husband and Wise; and being equally yoked, such will not only he mert and true Helpers in all Things belonging to this Life, but more especially in Things appertaining to the World that is to come, and the Good of the immortal Soul, which to the faithful People of the [Page 21] Lord is of great Value. Oh, how happily and peaceably do such live together in the Lord, as they keep to that which thus joined them! There is more in it, both as to the Parents and their Posterity, than it is to be feared many consider or think of, as is but too apparent in the many forward and unequal Marriages which I have made Observation of.
One remarkable Passage occur [...] to my Thoughts, which happened thus; my Father having been at the Presbyterian Meeting and come home, he, as his manner was, put me or my Brother upon reading the Priest's Text, which had been that Day in Daniel, concerning his being [...] into the Den of Lions for his not regarding the King's Decree, but on the contrary prayed to the God of Heaven with his Windows open towards Jerusalem, after his wonted Manner. My Father made his Observations as my Brother read, and very much magnified Daniel, and said, the Spirit of God was in him, but that there were none such as him in these our Days. I owned that he was indeed an extraordinary Man, but that there were none endowed with a Measure of the same Spirit in any Degree, in that I dissented from him, and gave my Father a brief Account of the many Sufferings of our Friends, some of which were past, and some then under Sufferings for the Word of God, and the Testimony of Jesus, which they bore for him, and especially the great Sufferings of our dear Friends in New-England, viz. hard Imprisonments, cruel Whippings, cutting off Ears, Banishment if they returned into New-England any more; and I shewed him likewise, how they put to death Marmaduke [Page 22] Stephenson, William Robinson, William Le [...]ra, and Mary Dyer, for no other Cause but [...]ing to turn People from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan to the living Power of God, to his Light, Grace and holy Spirit in their Hearts, and labouring to bring the People from Persecution, Pride, and every evil Work and Way, to live a Self-denying, humble Life, a Life agreeable to the Christianity they professed; this was the Purport or Substance of the Service they were called to, and so deeply suffered for: From whence I inferred, there was somewhat of the Spirit of God in Man in these Days as there was in Daniel, and many more formerly, which helped and bore them up in their great Sufferings. New my Father confess'd, it was true some suffer'd for Good, and some for Evil; and withal said, he had now lived to the Age of about sixty-five Years, and altho' he heard us telling of a Principle, or Light within, yet he know not what it was. I reply'd very meekly, If he would hear me, I would tell him what it was; which I did in the Words following: When at any Time thou [...]st been under a Temptation to put forth thy Hand to steal, or to lie for advantage, [...] by Provocation to swear, or any evil Work or Work, hast not thou found something in thee, that hath shewed thee thou oughtest not to have said or done so, which it thou hadst taken heed to, and not said or done wrong, hast thou not found great Peace and inward Comfort in thy Mind? But if thou hast said or done wrong, hast not thou found great Disquietness and Trouble of Mind? This is the inward Principle, Light, or Grace, that God hath placed in Man to help and direct him, which [Page 25] we the People of God called Quakers, do hold agreeable to the holy Scriotures. My Father smote his Hands together, and confess'd it was true.
But that I was not willing to break in upon this Story, but keep it entire, th [...]e was one Thing worthy of Notice, which I now come to, wishing it may be duly considered by all who read or hear it: When I mentioned Marmaduke Stephenson, [...] it good Man and great Su [...]erer in the Cause of Christ, as before, my Mother said, it was true; for she lived a Servant with Edward W [...]ss, an honest Quaker in Skipton, where Marmaduke Stephenson was a Day-labourer, about the Time he had his Call to go to New-England. * If I remember right, the said, He was such a Man as she never knew for his very Countenance was a Terror to them, and he had a great Che [...]k upon all the Family; if at any Time any of the Servants had been wild, or a [...] way out of the Truth, if they did but see him, or hear him coming, they were struck with Fear, and were all quiet and still: And if but one of the Children came into the House where he laboured, and he would not have it to [...] these were his Words, Go thy way, or go [...], lest I whip thee; and they were subject and quiet. This ample and excellent Account, I thought had some Reach upon my Father, however, it much affected my Mind. Oh! that we the Professors of the same holy Truth, may so live in it, as to reign [...]ver every wrong Thing in ourselves, and also in others, but especially in our Children.
[Page 24] Some little Time before the Marriage of my Mother, I was brought into the publick Work of the Ministry, concerning which I had many [...] being [...] scarce eighteen Years [...] of a summering Tongue, which [...] come, a though I had used what [...] in my Power as a Man, considering my Years and Ed [...]ion, all would noted until the True helped me: But after many Conflicts, great Troubles and Temptations, the worst I ever met with, and the most piercing Sorrow I ever had yet been in since I came to the Knowledge of the blessed Truth was, when through Reasonings, Disobedience, and Unwillingness to comply with, and answer the Lord's Requirings, he in Displeasure took away from me the Comfort of his holy Pretence for several Months together. Oh! the Tribulations and penetrating Troubles I met withal in this Condition, no Tongue is able to express, no not the Heart of any finite Creature is able to conceive the Depth of the Anxiety of the Heart-piercing and wounding Sorrows I was in; I thought my State was as [...]ad as Jonah's, for surely if there be a Hell upon Earth, I was in it: What greater Hell can be here to a quickened Soul, and an enlightned Understanding, who hath tasted of the Goodness of God, and of the Powers, in a degree, of the World to come, than to be deprived thereof, and think they are fallen away from this State? I could scarcely believe I should ever have Repentance granted to me, or he restor'd again into the Love and Favour of God, when I found that [...] Life [...] up, as to me, which did before, [Page 25] [...], but even all the whole City of God, [...]: But being left under an Apprehension of the [...] Displeasure, and in part a Partaker of the [...] of his Wrath; Oh! I thought, surely the [...] Mountains, and even the H [...]ls, were not sufficient (i [...] they could have been put into the Scales or Ballance) to have weighed against my Troubles and Afflictions they were so great; but as the Lord had by his Judgments brought me in a good degree from the Vice and Vanity of this World, now by his Judgments he made me willing to give up to answer his Requirings in part, and in my Obedience to him I began to feel some Comfort of Love and Fellowship of the Spirit of the Lord in myself, and in his People, who were brought to be Partakers of the like Fellowship.
Now I return to the Matter about my being turned out of my Father's House, which I mentioned before, but was willing to keep this solemn Account entire, with Desires it may be a Caution to all, in whom the Lord is at work in the same manner, not to reason or gainsay so much as I did, but to give up freely and cheerfully to the Will of God. When I saw I must turn out, I thought it expedient to acquaint some worthy Friends with it, lest any undue Reflections should be cast upon the Truth, or Friends, or myself, that if so, these Friends might be able to contradict them; so I acquainted Sebastian Ellethorp, and that worthy Man and Minister of the Gospel Benjamin Padley, two of the chief Friends in Ellington Monthly-meeting, and they came to my Father's House, and when they came, they began [Page 26] to enquire about the Reasons why I went away? and if my Father had any Thing against me concerning the Business he employed me in? and, whether I was not faithful and diligent in all his Affairs he sent me about? He confess'd, I was; and thought none could exceed me. They said, Well then, what is the Reason of that Misunderstanding which is betwixt thee and thy Son-in-Law? Is it about going to Meetings? When they understood his Reasons, which were not hard to do, they express'd a Pity towards me that I could have no more Liberty; and they thought, as I was so diligent in his Business, if he would give me a little more Liberty to go to Meetings, it would be more Encouragement to me. At which he took Offence, and gave the good Men rough Language, and asked, What they had to do with him and his Son? and bid them go Home and Mind their own Business; which they were much troubled at, especially for my Sake, and much pitied me, and wondered how I had lived with him so long; for he said in short, that there was no Abiding for me there. But Sebastian Ellethorp told me, which was mightily to my Comfort, that my Father had nothing against me, save that concerning the Law of my God. This is the Sense, if not the Words, of these wise and good Men, which passed betwixt them and my Father, as they expressed them to me; for I was not there when they were together.
Notwithstanding I pleaded with my Father to let me stay until I could hear of a Place, he would not, though I was scarce fit for Service, being almost like an Anatomy (as the saying is) so that most who knew [Page 27] me, said, I would pine away in a Consumption; but turn out I must, and did, though I was weak, poor and low in Body, Mind, Pocket and Cloaths; for I think I had but Twelve-pence in my Pocket, and very ordinary Cloaths upon my Back. Thus I took my solemn Leave of the Family, with my Heart full, but I kept inward to the Lord, and under Truth's Government; many Tears were shed in the Family, especially by my poor Mother, when I left them; my Father said little, but appear'd like one struck with Wonder, to see so much Love manifested towards me by the Family, and so much wishing that I might not go away: But out I came upon the great Common aforementioned, where I had had many solitary Walks, but none like this, for this Reason, that I knew not where to go. I then thought of Abraham who was called out of Ur in the Land of the Chaldeans, as it is briefly mention'd by Stephen; but this was the Difference betwixt us, he was called, I was forced out. But as I was walking upon the Common, the Sense of my weak Condition, not knowing whither to go, nor where to lay my Head, although I had many Friends, yet I could not be free to go to them, unless I had known they had Business for me, being not of a forward, but rather backward and shy Disposition. I say, the Sense and Weight of my Condition came over me to that degree, that it appeared to me as though my Way was hedged up on every Side, inwardly and outwardly; I even thought myself like a Pelican in the Wilderness, or as an Owl in the Desart, there appearing to me scarce a Man in all the Earth in my [Page 28] Condition, every way considered▪ and in the Sense and deep Consideration of my present Wilderness State, I felt myself under a great Oppression of Spirit, and my Heart seemed [...], like a Bottle that wanted Vent: I so [...] and about me to see that none were near to seems Tears nor hear my Cries, and in the very A [...]g [...]h and Bitterness of my Soul I poured form my Comp [...]a [...]nts, Cries and Tears to the Judge of all the Earth, who spoke to me and comforted me in this my deplorable State, which was worse than Jacob's when he lay upon the Ground, and had a Stone for his Pillow; he had his near Kindred to go to, whom he might expect would receive him gladly, but I had none to go to but such as rather reviled me, and gave me hard Language; but the Lord said unto me, as it a Man had spoke, First seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof, and all these Things that thou standest in Need of shall he given unto th [...]e. I then desired he would please to shew me the Place I should go to; and the Lord opened my Way, and shewed me the House I should go to, and abide in for a Time. I said, Good is the Word of the Lord: I believed, and it was a great Means to stay my Mind, and settle it in the Truth, with full purpose of Heart to follow the Lord, and obey his Requirings, according to the Knowledge and Ability given me; yet Reasonings attended me; two Things especially stood much in my Way, yea, three Things were a Lett to me, for soon after I came to the Friend's House in South-Cliff, viz. William A [...]n by Name, I bound myself to him to learn his Trade of a Weaver, and after I [Page 29] was bound, I found this good Man loved me, and I loved him to the Day of his Death; and he often said, he was blessed for my Sake, and all that appertained unto him; for when I went to him he was very poor, but he increased very considerably after I went to live with him.
I come now to the Particulars which stood in my Way of answering the Lord's Commands so fully as sometimes I should have done; First, a violent Humour fell into one of my Legs soon after I was bound Apprentice, which I with others thought was much occasioned by hard Usage, Heats and Colds, and many Surfeits, even from my Infancy; which Lameness held me about two Years, and I suffered much by the said Leg, and it much discouraged and disabled me. The second Hinderance was, my low Circumstances in the Worlds, which very few knew of, because the common Fame was (and not without some Truth) That I had rich Parents. I have given an Account already how they were circumstanced, and so I leave them at present and proceed; but few knew the Straits I met withal; yet my truly religious Master, if he understood any Thing was upon my Mind to go to visit any Meeting, or Meetings, he would say, take my Mare and go thy way, and be not uneasy, neither about the Mare nor Business, nor do not hasten thyself. These Kindnesses made me often thoughtful how I might return suitable Acknowledgments, and be duly grateful for the same: I was diligent in my Master's Business, not serving him with Eye-service, but faithfully; believing it good and acceptable in the Sight of God, and I had [Page 30] great Peace in it; my Master never found Fault with me for doing too little, but often for doing too much, and would sometimes say, I think thou wilt cleave to the Beam; come off and let us walk into the Fields and see how Things are there. Now as to the third Hinderance, the Account of which I was not willing to have interwoven with Matters of less Moment, although the healing of my very sore Leg I attribute to the great and good Providence of God; for in a short Time after I gave up freely and cheerfully to answer the Lord's Requirings, the Lord healed me of my Lameness; and when I cried unto him, that he would also heal my Tongue of its Stammering, believing that the Lord was as able to take away the Impediment of my Tongue, as he was to stop the Violence of that Humour which had attended my Body, and had a Recourse to my Leg, and made it sore from above the Ancle to the Knee: And notwithstanding several Men had given their Advice, and had shewed their Skill, it all proved ineffectual, until I came to believe in Jesus Christ, and to press through all to him, and to touch the Skirt, or lowest Appearance of his blessed Truth and Power, in which I found true healing Virtue to my Soul, and also to my Body, and to my Tongue, even to my Admiration; so that I did not only speak plain in the Testimony the Lord gave me to bear, but also spoke plain in my common Intercourse with Men.
I was likewise in these Days under the Dispensations of Openings and Visions, and thought myself as it were upon Mount-Pisgah, and saw into the holy [Page 31] Land, and into Things relating to God and his heavenly Kingdom, and into his Work and Way of bringing Man out of the Fail and Alienation to himself again, and into a heavenly State in Christ, as Man yields true Obedience unto the Leadings and Operation of his blessed Grace and holy Spirit in the Heart. But under such Dispensations it is requisite, yea, of absolute Necessity, that Man be brought into true Self-denial, as also into a depending Frame of Mind, and true Resignation of Will to the Will of God, and a daily sitting as in the Dust, as to the Motions and Workings of the Creature as such; for all that is of Man's working, or Work, does but let or hinder the spiritual Work of God in the Heart; and we must come truly to know all fleshly Motions, and the Workings in Man's own Will and Spirit, to be silenced, to hear the Voice of God, which is a still small Voice, and not to be heard in the Noise and Hurries of the World; neither when the Mind is busied with Things agreeable to our own corrupt Wills and depraved Nature.
But although at times I had clear Sights into many heavenly Things, and also had at times comfortable Enjoyments of the living Presence of God, yet I wanted to be more established in the unchangeable Truth, which I had at times some comfortable feeling of; and in crying to the Lord, I found he inclined unto me, and, as David said, he heard my Cries, and pluckt my Feet out of the Mire and Clay and set them upon a Rock, that was higher than I, and in part established my Goings, and put a new Song into my Mouth, even high Praises unto the Lord for all his [Page 32] tender Mercies to me in these trying Times; and now being more crucified to the World, and the Spirit of it, I witnessed a more constant Indwelling of the heavenly Power and living Presence, Light and Grace, I came to be brought into [...], and it became most agreeable to my Condition to keep much in Silence, and wait upon the Lord for the Renewing of Strength, that thereby I might [...]u [...]mount all Temptations and Trials that might fall in my way, or which I might be tried with, which were not a few.
Now these Things, before recited, are worthy of Commemoration, and proved great Confirmations to me in the Truth, in these Days of my Tribulations and great Trials: Read and believe thou that ca [...]st, for they are faithful and true Sayings. After the Lord had healed me, he sent me forth in the Work of the Ministry, and the first Journey I took Southward was into Lincolnshire, Nottingshamshire, and through Coventry, and so to Warwick to see William Dewsberry. One Thing is remarkable upon William's Enquiry, what Way I came? In my Account of the particular Towns and Places I had passed through, I mentioned Coventry, which was the last and the worst; for some of the rude People flung Stones at me, as I was speaking in the Meeting, with great Violence, so that had the Lord suffered them to have hit me, they must have spoiled me; but my Faith in the Lord, and the Strength of the Truth, bore up my Mind above Fear of the outward Man, or what wicked Men could do to me. After William had heard my Account, he fixed his [Page 33] Eyes on me and said, Thou must go back again to Coventry. I appeared unwilling, for two Reasons; First, because I thought I had cleared myself of that People. Secondly, I thought it not safe to run myself into Danger of Suffering, unless I was satisfied the Lord required it of me. But William was positive, and said I must go, for there was a Service for me to do there. Upon a deliberate Consideration of the Matter, and a seeking to the Lord to know his Will in it, I found my Way clear to go, and I had some Service and good Satisfaction, and left Friends nearer to one another than when I first met with them; for there had been a Misunderstanding amongst some Friends in that City: So I came from thence to Tamworth, where there was a Difference, especially betwixt two Friends; both of them had been such as had made some considerable Figure among Friends: I felt it upon me to go to, the Man, to warn him of the Spirit of Prejudice and Envy, for it he gave Way to it, it would eat out his Love to Friends and Truth, and he would decline Meetings and come to nought, and turn his Back on the Truth; which came to be fulfilled, as I afterwards heard; for he became a loose Man, and listed himself to be a Soldier. I was zealous for the Name of the Lord, and had a great Concern upon my Mind for the Promulgation of the Truth, and where I met with loose Professors of the Truth, it was a great Exercise to me.
When I returned home from this, and indeed from all my Journeys, I took Care what I well could, so far as my weak Body was capable, to fall into [Page 34] Business, and not to loiter away my Time, neithe abroad nor at home. My weak Constitution would not well bear the Weaving-trade, therefore I left it much against my Will; but I wrought upon Clock and Watch-work, and many other Things, which supplied my Necessities, the Lord allowing me as much Time at home as put me in a Condition reasonably fit for Travel, and then I was inclin'd to go to visit Friends. Many Things I omit, because I am not willing to swell my Account too much. I travelled through most Parts of England four Times, and twice through most Parts of W [...]ks, between the twentieth and twenty eighth Year of my Age.
After the Lord had opened my Heart, and I came in part to understand the holy Scriptures, and to have a Feeling of that holy Spirit in which the holy Penmen wrote them, and a Sympathy with the Spirits and Excercises of the Righteous therein mentioned, I took great Delight in reading them, and having a good Memory, could thereby the better deal with Priests and with Professors. I had many Disputes and Reasonings with Priests and Professors, of several Denominations, both in Yorkshire and other Parts in my Travels, so that through these Disputes, and much Reading, my Mind was rather too much in the Letter, and not altogether so much in Spirit, and in Power, as it should have been; for which I met with a gentle Caution from the Lord, which was thus: I heard a Voice (from the Lord) as plain as if one had spoke to my outward Ear, The Fowls of the Air lodge in the Branches. This being repeated to me, I besought the Lord to shew me what [Page 35] was the Meaning of that Voice which I heard; and the Lord, the mighty God, shewed me in his condescending Love, that the Scriptures, even all of them which were written as the holy Men were moved of the holy Ghost, sprung from the living Root; yet those who rested only in the Letter, and came not to be acquainted with, and live in, and minister from the same holy Spirit, are outward; dead, dry, airy and foolish. This gentle Check was of great Service to me; not so as to make me decline reading the Scriptures, but that I should not have over much Dependency on them; and to caution me against the Neglect of waiting for the Help of the holy Spirit, the Root and pure Spring of the right and living Ministry which reaches the Heart, and carries the true Evidence with it to the Believers, that it is of God; which that of the Letter cannot do of itself. I tenderly desire that all concerned in this great Work of the Ministry, may not be Ministers of the Letter only, but of the Spirit also, and may speak in the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power. And let him that speaketh, speak as the Oracle of God, and he that ministreth, do it as of the Ability that God giveth. This is the last and lasting Ministry, which is after the Order of Melchisedeck, and not after the Order of Aaron, but in Jesus Christ the High-Priest, the one Offering, which makes perfect for ever all who come to him through the Drawings of the Father; he is the one Lord, and there is but one true Faith in him, and but one true and saving Baptism into him, or into the Likeness of his Death; so as Christ died for Sin, we may truly [Page 36] die to Sin; and as he was raised by the Glory of the Father, so we may walk in Newness of Life; the heavenly High-Priest, holy, harmless, separate from Sinners; and such a High-Priest who was tempted, and knows how to succour such as are tempted; he is the Advocate with the Father, the Propitiation for the Sins of all, the true Guide and Comforter, the Leader of them into all Truth, who obey and follow him; although to the World a Reprover and a swift Witness against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men.
My writing thus, from this gentle Check, concerning the Fowls and the Branches, &c. is not with the least Intention either to lessen the holy Scriptures, or discourage any from reading them; for I would have all true Christians encouraged to be more conversant in them; yet with this Advice, kind Reader, from thy Well-wisher and true Friend, to breath to, and truly seek after the Lord for a Measure of his holy and blessed Spirit, the only Key and best Expositor to open and truly expound them to thee, as by the same holy Spirit thy Mind and Understanding comes to be fitted and enlightened; and indeed the whole Vessel must be brought into a Preparation to hold the heavenly Treasure, and not to mix the pure with the corrupt and impure: For without this enlightning, preparing, opening, and sanctifying Gift of God's holy Grace and Spirit, Man can neither know the heavenly Power of God, nor yet the holy Scriptures aright, as he ought to know them; and for this Reason it hath seemed good to God to hide these Things from the Learned, Wife and Prudent [Page 37] of this World, that they should not pry into, nor find out the Mysteries contained therein, unless they are sanctified, and called of God thereto; and as no Man knows the Things of a Man, save the Spirit of a Man that is in him; likewise the Things of God are not perceivable by Man, without the Help of the holy Spirit of God in Man.
Thus the Lord opened to me the true Meaning of the Parable of the Mustard-seed, in this the Time of my Infancy as to the Ministry, with which he sent me forth into the World, that my Faith might stand in the Lord alone, the Author and Finisher, as well as Giver of the true and saving Faith, even that Faith which works by Love, and gives Victory over the World; it was by and through the Power, Virtue and Efficacy of true Faith, which is the Gift of God, that the Elders in former Ages obtained, and now do obtain a good Report; it was in and through this Gift, that worthy Abel with his Offering was accepted of God, although he was envied of his earthly and evil minded Brother Cain, and also by him slain. The ever memorable Eno [...]h, through the Virtue of this holy Gift, walked with God, as himself gave witness that Eno [...]h pleased him; he walked so in Faith and Obedience even to the End, that he died not as Men in common do, but was translated, or changed in a peculiar Manner. Come, read thou that canst, and understand thou that art redeemed out of (and hast overcome) the Flesh, and the Powers of the first Nature, the World and the Devil, in a great measure, for thou knowest that it is by the Operation of this Gift that the Dead in old Adam are [Page 38] raised to a new Life, and way of living in the new Man; and through this heavenly Adam, that is known to these to be a quickning Spirit, agreeable to holy Writ. Through Faith the Violence of Fire was quench'd, the Mouths of Lions have been stopped, the Sword turned backward, the Armies put to flight, even such as were Aliens or Strangers who outwardly fought against the Lord's People; which sets before us, as in a Glass, how and what we are to overcome in this Gospel-day, in which we are not to fight with Men, but with our Lusts, and overcome Sin and Satan; which is as great a Victory as he obtain'd that overcame the rampant Lions*, who had Dominion over the Wicked, as Sin and Satan have Power and Dominion over the Wicked and Ungodly to this Day. Consider now in Time, thou that readest these Lines, whether Christ or Antichrist doth most predominate in thee? Whether Grace or Sin most abound in thy mortal Body? Whether the Spirit of Truth, that leads into all Truth, or the Spirit of Error, that leads into all Error and Untruth, is the most prevalent, and hath the greatest Place in thy Heart? For to him whom thou art the most subject, and yields thy Members Servants to, his Servant thou art, and to him thou givest way and subjects thyself, and his Servant thou wilt altogether come to be in time, and the Wages due to his Servants thou shalt have given to thee at the End of thy Work: Therefore consider in due Time, while the Day of thy Visitation is continued unto thee, and the Lord is following and calling by his secret and inward Checks and Reproof, by which he disquiets [Page 39] thy Mind, that although thou mayst take some Pleasure in Vanity and wrong Ways, when thou canst get over the just Witness of God in thy own Soul, yet while it strives with thee to convert and gather thee up out of earthly and fading Pleasures, to have thy Mind set upon heavenly Things, and take Pleasure in them, thou wilt have no solid Comfort in all thy lower Enjoyments, but Condemnation and Anguish of Soul will attend thee, until thou either gets over the Witness, or leaves the Evil, is the Experience of the Lord's People, who have been acquainted with the true and inward Warfare, and also with the Saints Victory. Read and learn to follow Christ by the Footsteps of the Flocks of his Companions; altho' it be through great Tribulations, yet it is the Way to have thy Garments washed and made white in the mystical Blood of the immaculate Lamb of God: This is he, as John the Baptist said, that taketh away the Sins of the World. Happy is every one that truly putteth on his Lamb-like Nature, his Humility, Righteousness and Purity, and is covered with his holy Spirit, and lives and walks in and under the Influence and Conduct thereof to the End of Time here, until we enter into Immutability.
Now to return from this Digression to the historical Part. When I had travelled much of the Time between my going forth, which was from about the nineteenth Year of my Age unto about the twenty seventh, then finding some little Respite from the Weight of that Service, I inclined to settle a little closer to Business but had little to begin any Calling with, being necessiated to leave my Trade of Weaving [Page 40] through Lameness, as before mentioned; and I had been a Sojourner some time at Whitby, Scarborough, and Bridlington; but upon seeking unto the Lord to know what Place I might now settle in, though my great Inclination was for Whitby, yet it sounded as in my Ear, Brialington, Bridlington is the Place to settle in; and in the Cross I repaired thither, and settled for some time, keeping a little Shop, and mended Clocks and Watches, as I had done for several Years past at times; it was of good Service my settling there, for the Lord began to work mightily, especially amongst the young Friends, so that in a few Years many had their Mouths opened in Testimony for the Lord, and a fine Spring of heavenly Ministry was in that Monthly-Meeting, the like I have not known in the like Bounds, (for it is but a small Monthly-meeting and hath been so ever since I knew it.) For Truth did so mightily prosper, and Friends grew so in the Ministry, that it became a Proverb, that BRIDLINGTON was become a School of Prophets. This mighty Work of the Lord, in these Days, is worthy to be chronicled and remembred among his many worthy and noble Acts; we had many heavenly and good Meetings, praised and [...]wned be the worthy Name of the Lord, now and forever.
We had but little Discipline when I first settled in that Place, but afterwards many Friends Hearts were stirred up in a holy Zeal for the Lord, not only to promote Meetings for Worship, but also for good Discipline in the Church, and they began to see a Necessity of coming up more in the Practice of this [Page 41] very needful Work; although there were some that said, they could see no Need of such close Order and Discipline: Yet I found it to be my Way in the Truth to bear with such, if they were not irregular in their Conversations; but if they were disorderly, we dealt with them as the Lord opened our Way in the Wisdom of Truth; and thus bearing with the Easiness of some on the one hand, and encouraging the faithful and zealous on the other, until way was made, beyond my Expectation, for the spreading of th [...] Truth, its Testimony, and the Discipline thereof in those Parts.
I had now travelled and laboured much in the Lord's Work at home and abroad for about ten Years, but had not in all that Time found my way clear to marry, although not without some likely Opportunities, and with such as were a great deal richer than she was whom I did marry; but I was afraid in this weighty Affair to miss my Way, knowing the great Difference there is between them who only profess, and they who possess the Truth, and them that are only in the first Nature and unregenerated State, (and strictly speaking, but the Sons and Daughters of Men) and such who are born again, not of Flesh and Blood, nor indeed of any thing that is corruptible, but of that incorruptible Seed and living Word of God which leads into a lively Hope, and brings forth a new and heavenly Birth in Man, that takes delight to please and obey the Lord in all Things, and so become Sons, or Children of God, in a more spiritual and nearer Relation than that of Creation only; it is in and through this great, Work [Page 42] of Renovation, and being born again, that such live up to that holy Seed and regenerating Principle: And as the same doth predominate and rule in Man, in this State Man cannot sin, as the Apostle said, with this Reason annexed, because his Seed (to wit, the Seed of God) remaineth in him; Thus walking in the light, and living in the Seed, Grace and holy Spirit, although the Terms of it differ, the Virtue and Nature of it are undividable; such who come to be gathered to walk with, and truly love Christ the Bridegroom of the Soul, are brought into a greater Nearness, truer Sympathy and Unity of Spirit than the World knows of. Read this, you that are born again, and duly consider it in its proper Time and Place. I believe, and therefore truly speak it, the Lord gave me such a Wife as really feared him, loved Truth and Righteousness, and all such as she thought loved, and especially such as lived in the Truth; her Name was Priscilla Cannaby, Daughter of James Cannaby; she was descended of an honest Family in the East Part of Yorkshire, the only Child her Parents left, they were Bakers by Trade, and gave her a commendable Education, though they did not leave her any great Portion; she was under the Care of her Uncle Charles Cannaby of Bridlington, an honest Friend, who left something behind him in Manuscript concerning his Convincement of the Truth, and Sufferings for the same; he was convinced early, lived to a great Age, and was a Man of great Service in those Parts where he lived.
I was in the twenty eighth Year of my Age [Page 43] when I married my Wife, who was a Woman of an excellent Temper, very affectionate, sober and prudent, loved Retirement much, and waiting upon the Lord, and the Enjoyment of his internal and living Presence, and especially with the Lord's People, that they might also be made Partakers with her of the like special Favours; this was as her Crown and Kingdom while in this World, even from her Childhood; and to see Friends prosper in the Truth was Matter of great Rejoicing to her. When we had been married scarce three Years, the Lord raised her up to bea [...] a publick Testimony amongst Friends in their Meetings, which was very comfortable and acceptable to them; and also she had the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, measurably poured upon her, so that many with me did believe she had Access to the Throne of God, and to that River which maketh truly glad the City of God: She always freely gave me up to answer the Service I believed the Lord called for of me. She was taken from me when we had been married but about five Years, in the twenty eighth Year of her Age, and died in a sweet Frame of Mind, and was sensible to the last, and her [...] Words were, He is come, he is come, whom my Soul loves, and my Soul rejoices in God my Saviour, and my Spirit magnifies him; and so passed away like a Lamb, I believe into a Mansion of Glory, where her innocent Soul will for ever sing Hallelujah to the Lord God and the Lamb, who is worthy of Glory, Honour, Salvation and Strength, now and for ever.
I might enlarge much upon the Virtue and Worthiness of faithful Priscilla, but in this, as in other [Page 44] Matters, it is my Desire to avoid Prolixity, yet would take Notice of the most remarkable Occurrences that have happened to me in the Course of this my earthly Pilgrimage; also, I have been much press'd by some, and not of the least of my faithful Brethren; likewise, I believed it to be my Duty, to leave some Remains to Posterity for their Encouragement and Comfort in the Way and Work of the Lord. One Thing is worthy here to be inserted, which had a strange and astonishing Effect upon my Mind, which was thus:
As I was walking in a plain Field in the fore Part of the Day, not far from the Sea, betwixt Bridlington and Broynton, my Soul was in a deep Concern, and at that Time exercised in Meditation on the Things of God, and also in fervent Prayers to him for Preservation from every hurtful Thing; and a heavenly Frame my Mind was then brought into, for then I neither saw Cloud over my Mind, nor yet any in the Firmament, for it appeared to me a Morning without Clouds; tho' I had passed under many Clouds. Soon after my Mind was brought into this heavenly Frame, and as it were swallowed up in the heavenly and internal Presence of the Lord, I thought a bright Cloud came down and cover'd me, or caught me up into it; so whether I was standing, walking, or set upon the Ground, or carried up into the Cloud in the Body, or out of the Body, I know not to this Day; yet Fear and Reverence, with bowing of Soul, did possess me before the great Majesty; at the Glory of whose Countenance, as I had it in a preceding Vision, Men and Angels fled [Page 45] and gave way, and could not stedfastly behold the Brightness and Glory of the Countenance of the Son of the Highest, with the mighty God and Father, which are one in Power, Greatness, Goodness, and Glory, who was before all Things, made all Things, and upholds and fills all Things that are good, with that which is truly good, or at least is for a good End. Read this Mystery thou that canst, and learn to fear him that hath Power over both Soul and Body, to kill and to cast into Hell, for one Time or another he will make thee fear him, when he brings thy Sins to Judgment, whether it be now or hereafter: The Time hath been, is, or will be, in which the Lord, the Judge of both Quick and Dead, hath, doth, or will plead with thee, and all Flesh, as in the Valley of Jehosaphat; therefore beware left thou make him wroth, as he was upon Mount Perizim, but be thou subject to the Lord, as faithful Moses was upon Mount Horeb, or the Mount of God, when he obeyed his Voice, and put off his Shoes; do thou obey, if it be to the putting away of the Glory and Wisdom of Egypt, or Learning, or what else is required of thee: Oh then thou art in the way to further Service, and wilt be enabled, as thou continues faithful, to go through all to God's Glory, and thy unspeakable Peace in the End.
Now as to the last Part of the Rapture or Vision, when I was swallowed up in the luminous Presence to him that is first and last, the Alpha and Omega, I heard a Voice, very intelligible to that Sensation I had then given me, saying, Dost thou see how Pride and Wickedness abound in the Nation? I answered in [Page 46] much Fear, Lord, I do see it: The next Words which I heard in the Voice and in the Cloud were, The People are too many, I will thin them, I will thin them, I will thin them. I desired of the Lord to shew me, whether it was his Mind I should publish this in any Part of the Nation? The South was set before me, with this Caution, Where this is opened to thee in my Power, there speak of it, and not otherwise. I gave up to answer the heavenly Vision, and visited most Parts of the southern Counties, as also the northern Parts, and Scotland; and where the Lord opened my Mouth to speak of what I had heard, as before, by way of Prophecy, I gave up, but did not so much insist upon that Matter, as to suffer it to be a Means to mislead me from that Work of the Ministry I was chiefly concerned in. I would that all, who are concerned in the like manner may be cautious in this great Affair, and look well to the Rise and Original from whence they receive this Gift, and how; and also what Frame of Mind they are in, and that nothing of the Warmth of their own Spirits be set to Work or stirred up, either by Sight of the Eye, or hearing, or reading outwardly, but that the Mind may be redeemed from all Workings, from those and the like Grounds, and purely purged, and truly adapted or fitted to receive this Gift or Spirit of Prophecy; and also be sure to be very careful to be guidable in the Gift, or otherwise thou mayst miss, as to Time and Place, &c. I intend not to dwell long upon it, as there are other Services included in this of Prophecy, as Edification and Comfort, &c. but what I have been upon, relates to foretelling something [Page 47] that is to come; and, as once a worthy Elder said to me when I was young in the Ministry, It is a great Thing to know what, where and when; and I have ever found it true to this Day. Learn of him that is (as he always was) meek and low of Heart, and be not discouraged, but persevere in Faith and Sincerity, and look not overmuch at the Difficulty, but look over all to him who hath called thee, and in some measure revealed his Son through the Spirit in thee: Although I know from some Experience, what it is to be exercised in the matter of Prophecy, for in the Journey touched of before, I was concerned to tell Friends at Kilmouck in Scotland especially, that the Lord would take many of them away; which in a short time came to pass, for many died before that time Twelve-month, it being a time of Scarcity of Corn; and it was thought many died for want of Bread, the Year ensuing my being there: I had good Service for the Lord, and great Satisfaction in these my long Travels, as I had in the like before, in divers of which there were some convinced of Truth.
At Cromer in Norfolk, one Elizabeth Horry, when my Mouth was opened, despised my Youth, as she confess'd afterwards; but what I had to say so reached her Condition, that she shed many Tears upon her fine Silks, and confess'd, before the Meeting broke up, that all might hear, in these Words, All that ever I have done hath been told me this Day, and this is the everlasting Truth. And as I passed along from that Meeting, not far from Cromer, with some other Friends, it rose in my Heart to say aloud, that [Page 48] a Man who was watering his Horse might hear, looking, and pointing my Hand towards him, That Man will be a Friend before he die; and, as he own'd after, he was so struck with it, that he had no Rest till he came among Friends, though he was then afar off, but he came to be a serviceable Man among us, and his Wife was also convinced of the Truth, and was a serviceable Woman. Samuel Hunt of Nottingham, was first reached at Leicester by the Testimony I had given me to bear in that Meeting at that Time, as he acknowledged afterwards; but I always gave God the Glory, and laid the Creature as in the Dust, that Man, as Man, might not be too much accounted of.
After my being caught up, and hearing the Voice (as before mention'd) I had many deep and heavenly Openings, some of which it may not [...] amiss to mention here, inasmuch as I had now a more clear [...]ight into a translated State than ever I had before; I came thro' a divine Sense and Participation, to have great Sympathy and dear Unity, not only with the ever memorable Enoch, whose walking was such as the Lord gave Testimony or Witness to, that he pleased him; the Ground of which Witness was from hence, he lived near and loved God, and walked in the Ways of Virtue, and abhorred Vice: But also with the Apostle, having this Seal, that God knoweth who are his; and with some other of the Servants of Christ in former Ages who could say, as some now can say, (from true Experience) that the Spirit of the Lord heareth Witness with our Spirits, that we are his, to wit, the Lord's Children, so long as we do well [Page 49] which last Words are of large Extent, to do well, think well, speak well, and believe well; for he that hath no Faith, or that believes ill, cannot do well; he that eats, drinks, or wears that which he knows he ought not, doth not well; but what is done well, is done in a pure Mind and clean Conscience, for so is true Faith held, and all acceptable Work to God performed. I had great Openings into the Removal of Moses, and taking up of Elijah, that great and worthy Prophet, from the Earth into Heaven, and I have seen Things not fit to be uttered, neither can the World yet believe them; and I saw far into the Mystery of the Transfiguration of Christ, and Appearance of Moses and Elias with him upon the Mount; and the Voice which was heard from the excellent Glory, This is my beloved Son, hear him; not Moses, nor Elias in Comparison of him, for the Law pointed to him, and was as a School-master to bring to him. The holy Prophets foresaw, and prophesied of his Coming, and John the Baptist saw Christ, and baptized him, and bore Witness of him as the Light, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Sins of the World; he also said, He is the Bridegroom that hath the Bride (the Church;) he spoke of his own Decrease, and Unworthiness in comparison of Christ, though called by Christ himself, as great a Prophet as was ever born of a Woman, and he was also called Elias, which must first come, and is already come in respect of Power, Knowledge, Boldness and Faithfulness; he was as Elias, yet the least in the Kingdom of Christ was greater than he, because the Power and glorious [Page 50] Kingdom and Gospel-dispensation was not fully brought in (and restored to Israel, or those who should believe in him) until his Ascension; but now these great Agents in these foregoing Dispensations all passed away, with their figurative, prophetical and elementary Dispensations, and gave place to the Son and Heir of all Things, the M [...]ssiah, the great Prophet, Bishop, Shepherd, King and Lawgiver.
Now read these Things, and learn truly to understand how Moses past away, and Elias past away, and Christ is left, who is able alone to perfect the Work of Man's Redemption, who trod the Wine-press alone, and amongst all the Sons of Men, none were with him or helped him; he came who was the Antitype of all Types gone before: He, Christ, is come to remove the Covenant made before, because of the Weakness and Imperfection thereof, which Covenant made not the Comers thereto perfect, but the better Hope brought in by Christ, did; so this Covenant is abundantly more excellent which was brought in by Christ, and settled and established upon better Promises than that was or could be, by the Blood of Bulls, Goats, and the Ashes of an Heifer, which reached the outside only; but in the second or new Covenant is the Blood which sprinkleth the Heart from an evil Conscience, so that such may be fitted and qualified to serve the living God, not in the Works of the old Covenant, but in the Newness of the holy Spirit: This is he that, as to his Divinity and Eternity, was before the Hills were settled, and the Seas and Fountains were made, that took delight to dwell with the Sons of Men, or in the habitable Parts of the Earth: as he was a [Page 51] Spirit or Word uncreated, he dwelt measurably in Abel, Seth, Enoch, and Noah before the Flood; for by his Spirit God strove with the old World to reclaim them from their Wickedness, when it was great; it was by this Spirit Noah was made a Preacher of Righteousness, and instructed how to build the Ark; this is he who was with Shem and Japheth, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and all the faithful Fathers after the Flood, the Foundation of all the Righteous, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, such as loved and believed in him, and suffered for his Name's sake, and the Testimony which they held: This is he that despised the Glory of this World, and is lifted up a Standard to the People, and an Ensign to the Nations; unto him shall the Gentiles seek, and his Rest shall be glorious; he hath lifted up a greater Rod than that of Moses, sometimes called the Rod of Iron, by which he hath, and I believe will break to pieces many People as a Potter's Vessel, when the Sin and Iniquity of the People is come to the height; it was he that turned the Waters of Egypt into Blood; it was he that slew the First-born throughout all the Land of Egypt, he overthrew the Egyptians, and brought forth Israel by a strong Hand, and an Arm outstretched, after he had marked the Dwellings of his People, and spared them in the Time of this great Slaughter, which was executed both upon Man and Beast, to wit, the First-born in Egypt, then he became Israel's Passover. Read these Things (that were typically done, and in an outward way) inwardly, and in thine own Experience, that thou may'st say, and that truly, Christ is [Page 52] my Passover, after he hath mitigated thy sore Bondage, and in degree hath given thee Faith in his great Name, and hath caused thee to love him, and made thee willing to follow him, although it be through the Sea of Troubles, and sometimes as through the Wilderness. Here is an eating of the heavenly Passover, or Paschal Lamb, under the Influence of the pure Love of God, that is spread or displayed over the Soul like a Canopy, or Banner: Here is the heavenly Manna, the true Body to feed on, that yields true Nourishment and solid Comfort to thy Soul, in this thy Travel towards the heavenly Country: Here is the Substance of the Sc [...]pe Goat known, that heareth away the Sins of the People; for he bore our Iniquities, and through his Stripes were we healed; on his Part there wants Nothing, but on Man's Faith in, and Obedience to Christ: He is the Substance o [...] Antitype of the brazen Serpent, which was lifted up in the Wilderness to cure the Peoples Ailments, occasioned by the Serpents; he is the Advocate with the Father, as John said, to encourage little Children in that time, which I think may very well he applied to all in that State until Time here shall be no more. Happy is every one that heareth, obeyeth, and reverenceth the Son and Heir of all Things in his spiritual Appearance in the Heart; where he speaks to the Conditions of the Children of Men, as never Man spoke, and to much better Purpose than ever Man could do: This is he that spoke to the Fathers by the Prophets who, in these Times doth speak to us in or by his Son; so take heed to his spiritual Appearance in the Heart, for there [Page 53] must the Work of our Salvation be perfected, after Sin is purged out, and the Guilt thereof taken away; to such Death is easy, where Sin, the Sting of Death, is taken away, having a part in Christ, the First-born of many Brethren, and Resurrection from the Dead; I say, having a Part in him that is the Resurrection indeed, and the Life; over such the second Death (which is a perpetual Separation from the heavenly Presence of God, and Company of holy Angels) shall have no Power. I now leave, I think, this not unprofitable Digression, and return to the more historical Part, where one Thing, I think, is worthy of inserting here, viz.
In my young Years I was very much afflicted in my Travels, upon taking Cold, with assure Throat, that I could scarce speak so as to be heard, and had much Trouble at Times to swallow any thing which Nature did require; and in one Journey northward, in Truth's Service, coming to Hawkshead, and sitting in the Meeting under no small Exercise with the Trouble aforesaid, not without some Reasonings and Conflicts of Spirit, having left all, as I believed, to do what the Lord required of me, and yet I apprehended myself, by means of this Affliction, not likely to be of any Service; and after some Reasonings, and a fervent seeking to the Lord to know the Cause of this great Trouble, and withal to bring my Mind to a true Resignation to the Will of God in this, and in all the Trials the Lord might see good in his Wisdom to exercise me in; I had not been long brought into this devoted and resigned State to be and do what the Lord would have me do, but oh! I felt of the Virtue of Christ as a sweet and living Spring, by which I was healed: I was, and [Page 54] am to this Day (when I remember the Lord's kind Dealings with me) very thankful to him.
It has been frequently observable, that the Lord leads his Servants through many States, that they, having the Experience thereof, may be the more capable of helping others in the like Straits; it is an excellent Thing to love and truly believe in Jesus Christ, and keep Self down as in the Dust for ever.
An ACCOUNT of my first Visit to FRIENDS in America.
NOW the Time came on for my going into America, having had a sight of it about ten Years before; I also acquainted my Wife therewith about a Year before she died, and I found it was likely to be a very near trial to her; she was a virtuous, good Woman, but was taken away, and left me three small Children, the eldest not above four Years old, the youngest not much above one Month old, and I having but little of this World, reasoned much about going, thinking my Circumstances at present might excuse me; my Intentions were good, in that I might not leave Things any way to the Dishonour of the Truth: My innocent young Child was taken away when about a Year old; and soon after, where ever I went, while I was awake, it sounded in my Ears several Days and Nights, Now is the Time, New is the Time. My other two Children, Providence so ordered it, that they were [Page 55] placed to mine and Friends Satisfaction: I went through many Provings that no Man knew of, but I believe, when I am gathered to my Place, I shall leave many Brethren behind me yet in mutability, that will read my Lines in their own Experience. I would not have any to misunderstand me, for as to my outward Circumstances, I left no Debt, neither was I in a way of going backward in the World; for ever after I received the Knowledge of the Truth, I could not see what Pretence I could have to Religion, if any should lose by me: I have often said, and been hearty in my Intentions, that rather than Truth should suffer on that Score, I would live upon Bread and Water, and wear very mean Cloaths, and work very hard if I were able, and upon any mean, if but lawful Calling. It hath been Matter of Wonder to me, how any that appear to carry any Pretensions to Religion, dare run such great Ventures, sometime beyond their own Bottoms or Abilities; which to me hath always appeared an unwarrantable Risque; and, as I apprehend, Pride and Ostentation is much the Occasion of it, which are much against Truth, and Men are no better for their greatness, for the more plain, and [...] more humble we are, the more we resemble humble Jesus, and his Religion, which he laboured to inculcate. If any are lifted up, or aspire above their Place, let them consider well the foregoing Paragraph.
Now I must leave my little Children, and my very near Friends, and my native Country, and all for Christ and the Gospel's sake, without any sinister End or View; and then I appealed to the Lord, in [Page 56] the simplicity of my Heart, that he knew I was willing to be at his Disposal, and what he had favoured me with, I could leave to him; yet whether what I had was sufficient to defray mine and my two little ones necessary Charges, was somewhat in my way; and to satisfy me in this Doubt, the Lord's Voice sounded exceeding clear to that Sensation I was then endued with, saying, Go and be faithful, and I will bless thee every way. Oh my Heart seemed to me to melt, and my Spirit to dissolve within me, and I said, Good is the Word of the Lord, thou hast not failed me in any of my great Straits and Trials to this Day; I have great Cause to trust in thee: Renowned be thy most excellent Name, new and for ever.
I parted with my Friends with much brokenness of Heart, and set forwards on my Journey towards London, in order to take shipping there, the 11th of the Eighth Month 1700; and when I, with my Companions Thomas Thompson, Jos [...]h Langdale, and John Estaugh, with some other Friends, went on board a Ship in the River Thames, we had not been long there, and having considered our freedom about going in the Ship, it opened clearly in my Mind, in the Light, that I must not go in that Vessel; and I said to the Friends, I could not go in her, for I saw nothing but Death and Darkness there. The Account of what afterwards happened to the Ship I had from two particular Friends, in two several Letters from London into America, wherein they express'd a Thankfulness for our Deliverance, and magnified that Hand which wrought it, and preserved us from going in that Ship, which was lost near the Islands [Page 57] of either Jersey or Guernsey, and, as it was said about seventy People were drowned.
Peradventure I may mention some Things that may appear to be of but little Moment, but I have seen the Divine Providence attend terrene Affairs, although they may appear of little consequence to some; such as do not duly consider these Things, may make a wrong Application, and as the Course of my Travels hath afforded variety of Trials and Transactions, which are in some Things very particular, from whence ariseth variety of Accounts, so there hath been a Willingness in my Mind to favour some who have been desirous of having me to leave a Journal of my Life, which I have complied with, as far as I can see my way clear in the Truth.
Then we went on board of another Ship called the ARUNDEL, Splenden Rand Master, in which we embarked the 17th of the Ninth Month 1700, and after many Storms, and much Sea-sickness, not without some Conflicts of Spirit, more than I am free to express, and a long Passage, being near, sixteen Weeks upon the Sea, we arrived in the River Patuxent in Maryland, as near as I remember, the 5th or 6th of the First Month 1701, and my Heart was glad, and filled with Acknowledgments and Praises to the Lord, for bringing us safe over the mighty Waters.
Now we left the Ship and Master, who was but a churlish, ill-natur'd Man. I was very weak and low when I landed, both in Body and Mind, but the Lord helped me, and made my Journey and [Page 58] Labours comfortable to many, as well as to my own Soul. After the first or second Meeting we were at, John Eslaugh being now my Companion, as we came near a great House in Maryland, I espied a little white Horse, the Sight of which put me in mind of a Dream I had on board the Ship before I landed, in which I thought I had got a little white Horse which carried me well, and many Miles; I said to the Friends with me, let us call here at this House, which we did, and upon Enquiry about a Horse, the Man said, he had none but a little white young Galloway, as he called it, which he was willing to sell, and withal told us, it carried him one Day forty Miles, and asked 8l. Sterling for it, and I had him 5l. Sterling; the Man's Wife coming up the Passage, heard what I had offered, and she said to her Husband, it is enough; so I had him, and a good Horse he proved, and carried me, by a moderate Computation, 4000 Miles. I took this, according to the nature of it, to be a singular Favour from that great Hand which led me forth, and hitherto hath preserved me in the Land of the Living, to praise his ever worthy Name.
Now we set forward towards Virginia and North Carolina, and found great Openness in these two Provinces amongst the People, and a tender-hearted Remnant of Friends scattered abroad in these Wilderness Countries. Although, as I said before, I was brought very low, yet the Lord, in whom I did, and yet do believe and put my Trust, raised me, and filled many times my Heart with his Word and Testimony, so that sometimes it went forth as [...] Flame of Fire amongst the loose Libertines, who were [Page 59] proud and unfaithful, yet Professors of the Truth, and we had many large and good Meetings. One Thing is worthy of Notice; as I was speaking in a Meeting in Virginia, a sudden stop came upon me, and occasioned me to say, I cannot go forward, whatsoever the Matter may be, I know not: But giving over immediately, a Friend whose Name was Edward Thomas, began to preach, who was but young in the Ministry, although an elderly Man, and apt to be attended with Reasonings; but, as he said after the Meeting, he had sought to the Lord with Prayers, that he would condescend so far to his Request, as to give me a Sense of him, and in so doing he would take that as a great Strength, and Confirmation to his Ministry, in this the Day of his many Exercises and great Fears, or much to the same effect; thus we see the Lord in his great Mercy condescends to the low, weak, and as it were, infant States of his Children, like a tender Father, and being our heavenly High-Priest, is touched with the Feeling of the Infirmities of his People; Thanksgiving and Honour be given to his most excellent Name, now and for ever.
During our Stay in Virginia, one remarkable Passage occur'd, which it may not be amiss to insert here, and the Case was thus; I being at a Friend's House, an ancient Widow, in order to go to the Meeting, observed as I sate in the House, several Persons of note come into the Yard (a Store-house being near) to make, as appear'd afterwards, a Seizure for Rates for the Government and Priest, they not being distinctly charged, but a mixed Rate, occasions Friends in those Parts to be straitned about [Page 60] the Payment of them: I observing the Priest to be there, and appear very busy, asked, What he was [...]me about? The Friend replied, They were come to make Distress for the 40 lb. per Poll, as they phrase it, which is 40 Pounds of Tobacco, payable for every taxable Head, (i. e. all above sixteen Years old) There were along with the Priest the Sheriff and Constable for the Government, and divers Merchants of note as Spectators: I understanding the reason of their coming, stept out to the Priest, who seemed a topping brisk Man, his Temper in this Case not unsuitable to his Name, which was Sharp; and being come to him, I desired him to be careful how he devour'd Widows Houses; he briskly replied, he did not; to which I as closely returned, that I found he did. He denied my Assertion, and said, The Government gave him what he demanded and took; to which I gave the following Answer; Inasmuch as he did not any thing for the Widow, for which he reasonably might require a Reward, I believed the Government would not insist upon it for him, if he would be willing to drop it, which in common Equity I thought he should: The Priest, displeased with this modest Reply, tartly answer'd, You are no Christians. I told him, The Charge was high and false, and he might more easily affirm than prove it; wherefore I put the Question, and asked him, Why we were so charged by him? To which he returned this insignificant Answer, That we denied part of the Divinity of Christ. I told him, he was a Novice, and receded in his Opinion from most of his Brethren, seeing it was a general Reflection cast on us by most of his Fraternity. That we owned the Divinity of Christ, but deny'd his Manhood, which was false also; therefore [Page 61] I demanded of him, to prove what Part of the Divinity of Christ we denied; in which if he fail'd, I should look upon him as a false Accuser, and those present would, I hoped, be my Witnesses: But he shuffled, and declined answering, though I urged him as much as possible; and to cut the Matter off, he asked, Whence I came? The Sheriff bid him give me a Verse in Greek; I told them, I mattered not meddling in that, for us the English Tongue was best understood by those present, therefore I thought it would be best to keep to it. I told him, I was of Old England, but still reminded him of his proving his Assertion, which I looked for from him; but instead of that, he asked what Part of Old England I came from? I told him Yorkshire; and bid him produce his Proofs, as before urged, but he still evading the Matter, desired to know from what Place? I told him I was born at North Cave; and, said he, I was born at South Cave, and my Father was Minister there many Years, his Name was Sharp, and there is but a Mile difference betwixt those Places: I said, it was a long one. No sooner was this over, but the Priest, transported with my being his Countryman, began hugging me to such a Degree, that I was quite ashamed of him: When I had, not without some Difficulty, got clear of his Embraces, I asked him, if he esteemed himself a Minister of Christ? He answered, Yea, and lawfully called thereto; I told him, if he was a Gospel-Minister, as the Gospel was free, so should his Ministry be free; and turning to the People there present, I told them, I would not have them deceived, for they might understand he only possessed his Place by virtue of a Law in that Case provided, and [Page 62] his Call and Ordination was only such as had been transferr'd upon him for a Fee, which made him require Pay for what he did, and indeed where he did nothing, which was highly unfair; wherefore they might upon Consideration find he was but a Minister of the Letter, which was dead, and not a Minister of the Spirit and divine Power: From which he offered not to clear himself, though I urged him thereto. Then I asked him, which of those odious Characteristics the false Ministers were branded with, and deciphered by in the New Testament, he could clear himself of? which I then enumerated to him. The Sheriff said, it was so; and withal said, Mr. Sharp, answer the Man, for the Question is very rational, and you ought to answer him, and for Honour sake clear yourself of those Odiums if you can: But he would not offer to meddle with it; wherefore I told him, to mind for the future, not to charge any Man or People with more than he could be sure to prove; for it was highly scandalous. It being now Meeting-time, I asked him to go thither; but he refusing, said, he durst not; so we parted.
Having visited Friends here, we returned back for Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and a great many we found who loved to hear the Testimony and Doctrines of Truth, but too few there were, who took up the Cross daily, and followed Christ in the way of Self-denial, and knew the thorough Work of Regeneration, so as to have their Garments washed and made white in the mystical Blood of the Lamb: These are not polluted with the Sins and Iniquities of the World, who have experienced this Blood to sprinkle the Heart from an evil Conscience. These are capable [Page 63] of serving the living God; and coming from the Laver or Pool that truly washes, there is none unfruitful, but every one bearing twain, and they are inwardly clean and fruitful to God, and walk with him, whose bright and shining Lives are also fruitful to the World that will receive them. Read this thou that hast known something of the Work of Conversion, and consider the great Difference there is between the bright Lives of the Virtu [...]us, and the dull and cloudy Lives of the Vicious, and before thou look well, which of these thou most resemblest in thine.
Now when we came into Pennsylvania, my Companion before mentioned, whom I loved well, told me he must go back to Virginia; it became an Exercise to us both, for I could not see my Way clear to go back, having been twice through that Province. When no other Way appeared, but we must part, (for my Way appeared clear for the Jerseys, Long-Island, Rhode-Island, and New-England) I held it needful that we should, as we did, call the Friends and Elders of Philadelphia and thereabouts together, to let them know how we parted, for we parted in much Love and Tender-heartedness; yet notwithstanding, lest any undue Reflections should be cast upon the friends there concerning us, because of our parting, I thought these Friends would be capable of setting those Things in their proper Light, being Witnesses thereto; so taking our Leave of our dear Friends in these Parts, I travelled without any Companion outwardly, or constantly; but I sometimes fell into company with Elizabeth Webb and [Page 64] Sarah Clement, who were virtuous Women, and lived near the Kingdom, and were of good Service in their Travels, and grew in Truth, which while with them I was sensible of: We travelled under great Care and Circumspection, both for our own good, and avoiding Offence, as became our Places, and holy Profession, that in all Things we might adorn the Gospel of the Kingdom, a Dispensation of which was committed to us to preach unto others. Good Service I had for the Lord, and great Satisfaction in my own Mind in these Parts, the Lord helping me by his mighty Power through all my Trials, as my Heart and Mind was devoted and resigned to answer his Requirings.
I had great Openings in several Places in New-England, and it appeared clear to me, and sometimes I spoke openly of it, that the Lord would gather a great People to the saving Knowledge of the Truth in his Time, notwithstanding what many of our Friends had suffered for the Name of the Lord, and Testimony which they held in their Parts, from the Predecessors of the present Inhabitants: The View of the State of these Things, especially the great Sufferings of many of our faithful Friends, put me in Mind of that saying, that The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church; and in this Case, I believe it will be fulfilled in its Season.
One Passage happened, which I think not fit to pass over in silence: There came into one Meeting, eastward in New-England, a Man, who was Brother to a Presbyterian Priest, to oppose Friends, (who, as Friends said, had been often very troublesome [Page 65] in that Meeting) in the Beginning of the Meeting he desired to have Liberty to ask some Questions. I being a Stranger, and not having so much as heard of the Man, nor any making Reply to him, I felt Liberty in the Truth to return the following Answer in behalf of the Meeting, That I did apprehend it was the Desire of Friends, inasmuch as the Meeting was appointed for the Worship of God, and not for asking of Questions, or controversies, that the chief Part should first be answered; and I also thought the Meeting would be willing, in the Conclusion, to give him Liberty to ask the Questions, if his Intent therein was for Information or Satisfaction, and not for Contention. Friends were silent, and the Man submitted to what was propos'd, and a good Meeting we had, the Lord's heavenly Power and living Presence being with us, and the Substance was felt among us, and exalted over all the Shadows and Types; and Christ the true Bread and living Water, Light and Life of the World, was exalted that Day; and the mighty God and Father, with his beloved Son, through the Help of the holy Spirit, was glorified, who is worthy for ever. Near the Conclusion of the Meeting, the Man began to speak well of what he had heard, particularly touching that of Water-Baptism, which, he said, he had nothing to object against; but as to the Sacrament, as he called it, because little or nothing had been said about it, therefore he concluded, we either denied or disused it; or Words to the same Purport. Then I stood up and said, I did not remember that the Word Sacrament was in all the Bible; but, I said, I supposed he meant the Bread and Wine; he answered, he did; I [Page 66] asked him, whether he was of the same Mind, the Episcopal Church was of? If not of the same Mind he might say so; for they say, the Bread and Wine is an outward and visible Sign of an inward and spiritual Grace, &c. what said he to it? He was some Time silent; then I asked him, How long he thought that Sign was to continue? He replied, To the End of the World. I answered, He did not read in all the Bible, that the Lord had appointed any Figure or Sign but what was to end in the Substance, which is to be witnessed and enjoyed in this World, and not put off only to the End or Conclusion thereof, as his Argument seemed to declare, by his urging, that the Sign of that divine Substance must remain till the End of this World. I asked him, What he could answer to that? He turn'd off with only saying, I was too great a Sholar for him, and so he would not meddle with me. He then was silent, and there being many People, I had a fine Opportunity to open to the tender-hearted, and Friends present, how that was at best but a Sign, which the People eat and drank outwardly, in Remembrance of Christ's Death until he came, but that I could now prove plenteously from the New Testament, that the Substance, the Grace was come, and urged many Proofs out of the Scriptures to the same Purpose: And when I had done, what I had said so reached a good-like old Man, a Presbyterian, that he confess'd with Tears, he had heard much said upon that Subject, but had never heard it so opened before; and said, he believed I was in the right. The Meeting broke up in a good Frame, and Friends much rejoiced that that Truth came over all, and the contentious Man was silenced: And when the Meeting was over, the goodly [Page 67] goodly old Man took me to the Door, and asked file; what a Man should do in case of a solemn League and Covenant, he being entered into it? I told him, I needed not to direct him, for he had that in himself which would shew him what he would do; for if one should make an Agreement or Covenant with Hell and Death, in the Time of Ignorance and Darkness, and now the true Light discovered it to be so; the same Light which discovered and manifested it to be wrong, as he was faithful to the same, would shew him how and when to break it, and every other wrong Thing; to which Light I recommended him, and bid him take heed to it; which he said, he hoped he should; and so I left him with Tears on his Cheeks, and passed on.
I omitted one Thing which happened in that Part of New-England near New-York and Long-Islan [...] although I was twice backward and forward, yet to be brief in my Travels through those Countries, intended to make one Account serve, viz. As I was speaking in a Meeting, there came a great Damp over my Spirit, and in that Time came into the Meeting several Men, occasioned by a topping and great Man in the World, who had given them all Expectation that they should hea [...] how he would oppose the Quakers; but in a short time Truth rose, and Friends generally heard a Man say to this Disputant, why do you not speak? he hush'd him with saying, the Man is upon the Subject which I intend to oppose them with. After some Time the Man was put upon again to speak to me, with a why do not you speak? we heard him say, the Man has open'd the Thing so as I never heard it before; and I have Nothing [Page 68] to say: And to his own, and the Wonder of his Neighbours, he sat down upon a Seat near the Door and wept tenderly; so it was a good time to him, and many more, for the Lord's mighty Power was amongst us. And in my Return from my Journey in the East Parts of New-England, the same great Man desired me to condescend to have a Meeting at his House; and after due Consideration and Approbation of Friends, who desired it might be so, when they knew it was his Request, a Meeting was appointed, and I heard there were likely to be at it a great many of the higher Sort of Presbyterians of his Neighbourhood.
I went to the Meeting under no small Concern of Mind, but when I was come into the great House, I was very much affected with the wise Conduct of the Man, to see in what excellent Order he had placed every Thing, so that I could not find wherein any Thing could be amended; and a heavenly Meeting it was, without any Opposition; and at the breaking up of the Meeting, this tender Man, whose Heart was broken and opened by the Power of Truth, said audibly, His Heart and House were open to receive me, and such as me, let all say what they would to the contrary. But what the subject matter was at the first Meeting when he came in, I forgot; it was enough that we remember'd we had a good and heavenly Meeting, and were truly thankful for the same to him who was the Author thereof.
I and some other Friends being in our Passage by Water in a Vessel bound for Rhode-Island, and meeting with high and contrary Winds, we put into a [Page 68] Creek some Miles distant from Rhode-Island, and desired the People to procure us some Horses to ride on, and we would pay them any Thing that was reasonable but hoped they would not make a Prey of us, for we were Strangers, and they ought to do to us as they would be done by, if they were in a strange Land, as we were; and there came up to us a goodly old Man, and asked us, what People we were? if we were not Quakers? I told him, we were in Scorn so called, but we did not much mind Names, for there was but little in them. He was a brisk talking Man, and said, there was a Man here lately that said he was a Quaker, and borrowed a Horse, and when he was gone some Miles from this Place, he offered to sell the Horse: I know not, said the Man, but you are such. I returned this Answer to the Reflection; That was a great Proof that we were an honest and reputable People where we were known, he might assure himself of that; for when a Man is so wicked, as to become a notorious Cheat, he will cover himself under the best Name he can think of, otherwise he might have said he was a Baptist, or a Presbyterian, or an Episcopalian, and desired you to lend him an Horse; but you mind not these Names, neither doth the wicked Man think he can pass so well under any of these last, but under the first; and the Reason of it I leave thee to judge. The old Man asked no more Questions, but used his Endeavours to get us Horses, and a Man and Horse to go with us, to have the Horses back again, and we were well mounted; but before we set forward, the old Man took me to his House and was very courteous to me, for though we had spoke [Page 70] for some Victuals in as short a Time as well might be, he invited me to drink, and brought of his Apples and Beer, which he would have my Friends to partake of, for, he said, (and we found it true) it was but a poor Inn; I think there was no Liquor at it, but Brandy or Rum, and Water. The old Man and I parted very lovingly, and I gave him a Piece of Money to shew my Gratitude for his Civility and good Service to us. The People looked upon us as same great Wonder, for I heard one say, [...] these Quakers? well, said he, they look like other People. How we had been represented, and by whom, its not hard to gather, for it is very apparent, the same Spirit and the same Enmity yet doth, continue in some of the Inhabitants of that Country, which some of our Friends formerly felt the severe Effects of; but they are since somewhat moderated by the Government there, which is of a more mild and Christian Disposition; although I am well assured, that many of the more conscientious and thinking People in those Parts of the World begin to see, and many will see and understand in Time, that hanging and taking away Lives, for the sake of Religion, is opposite to Christ, and the Nature of the true Religion which is wrought in May by the Operation, Quickenings, and Indwelling of the holy Spirit, which, as it is regarded and followed, leavens and brings, the Soul of Man in some degree to put on the Purity, heavenly Image, and Nature of Christ, which is Love, praying for Enemies, and is not for destroying, but saving Lives; but how far the Reverse will agree with that Religion taught by [Page 71] Christ, and practised by him and the Apostles, I would have all seriously consider of in Time.
While we were in Boston, when one of the aforementioned worthy Women was declaring excellently, with both good Utterance and Voice, as also good Matter, as the Manner of the Inhabitants of Boston had been for many Years to encourage, or at least suffer a rude Mob to bawl and make a Noise, so they did now, that it was hard to hear so as to understand distinctly what the Friend said, although she spoke plain and intelligibly: I did very much grieve me to see the Ignorance and Darkness of those high Professors of Religion, so that when the Friend had done, observing there appeared Men of some Note in the World, I requested them to hush the Rabble, for I had something to say, which I desired them to make known to the Governor and chief Men of the Town; so they soon quell'd the Noise. Then I told them, That in case we were as erroneous as some might insinuate we were, that was not the Way to convince us of our Errors, neither to bring us out of them, but rather to establish us in them; and that was not the Way for them to gain Proselytes, but the Way to lose many from them, and increase Dissenters; for what Convincement could there be by Noise and Clamour, and Hooting, as if they would split their own Lungs? I had come a great Way to see them, and what Character could I give of them? I never thought to have seen so much Folly amongst a wise and religious People as now I saw: Tell the Governor and chief of the Town, what the old Englishman saith; for I am ashamed of such Doings. It had a good Effect, for when I came [Page 72] after, we had quiet Meetings; and I understood by a Letter from Daniel Zachary, of Boston, to Old England, that the Governor said I was in the right, and order'd that Peace should be kept in Friends Meetings there; and I never heard to the contrary but it is well yet as so that. We have great reason to be truly thankful to the Lord for these, and all other his Mercies, that He the Fountain of all Good is pleased to favour us with: And as an Instance of the Lord's Mercy to many poor Sufferers, and to shew the implacable Envy of these People to Friends, the Case of Thomas Maulham of Salem may suffice, in some measure, to set forth both, who was a great Sufferer in the Time of hot Persecution, when the Persecutors had stript him of almost all he had; their insatiable Minds not content with that, they came with Axes and how'd down all the Apple-trees in his Orchard, it being a large one, and left the Stumps about the height of a Man's Knee, and, as Thomas Maulham said, they took the Way as they thought to ruin him; but the Lord turned it into a Blessing, for the Trees grew to Admiration, and came to bear Fruit abundantly, and a finer Orchard I have not seen in all my Travels, for the Bigness of it; let the Lord be sanctified by all his People, and admired by all them that believe.
I with several other Friends went from Salem Yearly-Meeting (which was a large and good Meeting) towards Dover, and coming to a River, I staying a little behind, a Friend took my Horse with two more into the Boat, and by that Time I came to the River-side the Boat was sinking, and the [Page 73] Ferryman made a lamentable Cry, saying, The Boat is sunk, and we shall be all drowned; although it was so ordered, that there [...] as but one Friend in the Boat with the Boatman, and I do not remember that ever before now my Horse was in any Boat, and I not there; which I looked on as the Mercy of a kind Providence to me, and to several other Friends in Company. I hearing the Noise, as before, (and also the flowndering of the Horses when tumbling into the Water) called to the Men, to be sure to take care to free themselves of all the Tackling of the Horses, (as Bridles, Stirrups, &c.) and catch hold on my Horse's Tail, and he would bring them both ashore; but if they trusted to the other (as before mentioned) when the Horses swam they would fail them, unless very strong; and to have them hold by the Bridle was the way to drown both Horse and Man: This Advice was given while they had the Horses in their Hands; the Boatman being a lively Youth, took my Advice, caught hold of my Horse's Tail, it being long, (which I ever approved of among Rivers) and I calling to my Horse, he came quickly with the Man ashore, but left the honest old Friend Ezekiel Waring (to whose House we intended to go that Night) in the River floating to the Neck, a hundred Yards from the Shore by Computation, yet watchful Providence did so attend, that his Life was preserved to a Wonder; for it was so ordered, altho' he miss'd taking my Advice, and caught hold of his Stirrup, and the Girth broke, as they are apt to do if they be tight when the Horse begins to swim, which brought off the Saddle and [Page 74] Pillion, and the Oar of the Beat, and his Hat, which with the Pillion-seat being in his Arms, just bore up his Head above Water for some Time; his poor Wife seeing the Danger to which her Husband was exposed, fell into a fainting Fit; (there being neither House, Man, or Boat, to be seen on this Side of the River, but ourselves, the Boatman, and the Stem and Stern of the sunk Boat full of Water.) A House there was on the other Side of the River, which was half a Mile over. The Ferryman did his best to get a Boat or Cannoe, and altho' it began to be dark, yet he found a Cannoe, (which is made of a fine Piece of Timber hollowed in the Form of a Boat, and generally will carry but two or three or four Men;) he coming near, asked if Ezekiel was alive? I told him he was, but very weak, for I had often heard him blubber in the Water; I encouraged him, that he might not faint in his Mind, for I told him, I yet believed his Life would be preserved; he would very faintly say, Unless Help came, be could not hold it long. I went on by the Waterside, and laid me down often on the Land, not much regarding Wet or Dirt, sometimes tumbling over Logs of Wood and Limbs of Trees, for so it is in these uncultivated Places: I directed the Man with his Cannoe where the poor Friend was, as near as I could tell by my last Observation, and withal desired he would turn the Stern of his Cannoe to him, as he could not list him into the Cannoe; neither to let him lay his Hand upon the broad Side of it, but upon the Stern, lest he should overset it, and so both be drowned: So he did, and brought him gently ashore, to the [Page 75] great Joy of his loving Wife and us all. The Boatman, as he owned, had found my Counsel good, and therefore would have me tell him what he might do now; I bid him fetch the Boat to shore by the Fowler or Rope, and then go and carry Ezekiel in the Cannoe to the Inn on the other Side of the Water, that he might dry, warm, and refresh himself until we came; in the mean Time we clear'd the Boat of Water, which when done, we put two Horses into it, and I towed my Horse at the Boat's Stern to make Room for several, especially the good Woman before mentioned, who were at this Time in my Company, not without their Exercise any more than myself: We got well over, and then the Ferryman and Friend on the other Side brought the Horses that were left, being three, which were enough for the Boat, and proved too many the first Time. We found the good old Friend finely and well recruited, and got to his House about Midnight, where we were glad, and our Hearts were full of Praises to the Lord for this great and eminent Deliverance and Preservation.
In this first Visit while in Rhode-Island, I met with something worthy of thy Notice, if thou art such a Reader as I wish thou mayst, which was thus: Being in Rhode-Island, several Friends came to me in some of the Intervals of the Yearly-Meeting, (for it held several Days, both for Worship and Discipline) to enquire whether it was usual to let the Young, and such as had but appear'd little in Testimony in our Parts of the World, come into Meetings of publick Friends? I said, Yes, if they were [Page 76] of clean Lives, and what they had to say, approved; and it was very like such might want Advice as much as those who were come to more Experience in the Work of tie Ministry, if not more: This was some means of enlarging the said Meetings of Ministers now coming on. When I came into the Meeting, several of the Elders desired me to go into the Gallery, which I refused, the Concern upon my Mind being so great, I thought it was enough that I could but get into the House, and sit down among the lowest Rank.
This Meeting was one not to be forgotten, because of the eminent Visitation from the Lord that was upon us in it; I have not often seen the like; I question if there were any dry Cheeks for sometime in it; and the Manner of the working of the heavenly Power was remarkable, in order to the sanctifying and preparing Vessels for the Lord's Use; and he broke us down by his Judgments from following flattering Flesh, and the pleasing Vanities of the World, and the subtle Baits of Satan, by the Tenders of his Love, and engaged us to follow the heavenly and inward Calls, Knocks, and Reproofs of his holy Spirit, and to obey the Dictates of the same. When the Lord prepares in a good Degree for this Work of the Ministry, many have been unwilling to give up and obey, until they have tasted of the Lord's Displeasure, and in part of his Judgments, which have brought them into a Submission; after which they went out with their Lives sometimes in their Hands, and became a Wonder to Men, bearing their Reproach, and sometimes appear'd in great Congregations, sometimes in [Page 77] Noises and Tumults, and sometimes were in Watchings and Fastings, in Weariness, Hunger and in Cold, with much more, for the Name of the Lord and his Testimony, and for the Enjoyment of Peace, and the internal Presence of him that hath separated us to this Work by the holy Ghost; and it is in and by our abiding faithful to the same, that we are preserved in a Capacity of Perseverance through all to the End, to the mutual Help and Comfort one of another, and Renown of the Name of the Lord, who is worthy now and for ever.
We also had a very large Meeting on this Island in an Orchard, where I had good Service for the Lord; and I remember I was much concern'd about the two Ministrations, viz, John's Baptism with Water, and CHRIST'S with the holy Ghost, it being clear from John's Words, that he saw to the End of his own Dispensation when he declared, he must decrease, but CHRIST must increase; which is generally understood to respect their differing Dispensations; for the first Baptism was to baptize unto Repentance, the other to the purging of the Floor, and burning up of that which was combustible, viz. the Chaff and Stubble, which the Lord's Baptism burneth up inwardly, and which no elementary Thing can do; for if all the Eatings, Washings, Observations and Ceremonies under the Law, although to Israel commanded and enjoined by the Lord, could not make the Comers thereunto perfect, how should these or any of them now, when not commanded, as they never were to us, perfect the Gentile World? So what I had upon my Mind, as I received, I went through [Page 78] with, and shewed the Beginning, Use and End of the watery Dispensation, and the Use and Continuance of CHRIST'S spiritual Baptism to the End of the World. The Meeting broke up, and Friends went into an upper Room in an Inn; but I felt such an Exercise upon my Spirit that I could not eat, but desired Friends to be easy, and I would eat as soon as I could; and while I was walking over the large Chamber alone, there came up three Men whom I knew not, nor what they were, but it sprang livingly in my Heart to set my Eyes on them in the Lord's Dread, and so I did; they passed away, and I was told afterwards, that they were three Baptist Preachers who had been at the Meeting and came once more to see me, with a Design to have a Dispute with me; but, they said, I look'd so sharply they durst not middle with me: Thus the Lord in a good Degree wrought for me, blessed be his worthy Name for ever.
Now I leave the Account of my Travels in those Parts, and enter upon my second, with my honest Companion James Bates, who was born in Virginia, and travelled much with me through many Provinces, and some Islands; we had good Service together, and it was much with me, when on Rhode-Island, to visit Nantucket, where there were but very few Friends; Peleg Slocum, an honest publick Friend near Rhode-Island, intending to carry us in his Sloop to the said Island that Night; and Peleg thought we had been close in with our desired landing Place, but we fell short, and Night coming on, and having but one small Cannoe to help us ashore, which would carry but three People at once, we went ashore at [Page 79] twice, and left the Sloop at an Anchor; and it being grown dark, we thought we were going up into the Island among the Inhabitants, but soon found that we were upon a Beach of Sand and Rubbish, where was neither Grass nor Tree, neither could we find the Sloop that Night, though we sought it carefully, and halloo'd one to another till we were weary, so that we were forced to settle upon our little Island, from the Center of which, one might cast a Stone into the Sea on every Side; here we staid that Night, not knowing but the Sea, when at the Height, would have swept us all away, but it did not; there I walked, and sometimes sat, until Morning, but slept none; at last the Morning came, and the Mist went away, and we got on board again, and reached the Island about the ninth or tenth Hour.
The Master was willing, at our Request, to land three of us, (i.e.) me, my Companion, and Susannah Freeborn, a publick Friend, who had a Concern upon her Mind for some Time, (as she signified to Friends in Rhode-Island where she lived) to visit the few Friends in Nantucket, and Friends thought this a proper Season to pay that Visit. She was a Woman well beloved, and in good Unity with Friends.
We landed safe, and as we went up an Ascent, we saw a great many People looking towards the Sea, for great Fear had possess'd them, that our Sloop was a French Sloop loaded with Men and Arms, who were coming to invade the Island: I held out my Arms and told them, I knew not of any worse Arms than these on board. They said, they were glad it was no worse, for they had intended to have alarmed [Page 80] the Island, it being a time of War: I told the good like People, for so they appear'd to me, that Peleg Slocum, near Rhode-Island, was Master of the Sloop, and that we came to visit them in the Love of God, if they would be willing to let us have some Meetings amongst them. They behaved themselves very courteously towards us, and said, they thought we might.
We then enquired for Nathaniel Starbuck, who we understood was in some degree convinced of the Truth, and having Directions to his House, we went thither, and I told him, We made bold to come to his House and if he was free to receive us, we would stay a little with him, but if not, we would go elsewhere; for we heard he was a seeking religious Man, and such chiefly we were come to visit: He said, we were very welcome. And by this Time came in his Mother Mary Starbuck, who the Islanders esteemed as a Judge among them, for little of Moment was done there without her, as I understood.
At the first Sight of her it sprang in my Heart, To this Woman is the everlasting Love of God. I looked upon her as a Woman that bore some Sway in the Island, and so I said, and that truly, we are come in the Love of God to visit you, if you are willing to let us have some Meetings among you: She said, she thought we might; and withal said, there was a Non-conformist Minister who was to have a Meeting, and they were going to it, and she thought it would be the best way for us to go with them to the Meeting. I shewed my Dislike to that for these Reasons; first, we did not want to hear what that Minister had to say, because [Page 81] some of us had tried them before we came there, (meaning the Non-conformists of several Sorts) and if we should go, and could not he clear without speaking something in the Meeting, he might take it ill; but as we understand there is another Meeting appointed at the second Hour for the same Man, therefore, as the present Constitution of Things are we lock upon ourselves to stand upon an equal Ground in a religious Capacity with other Dissenters; and if we should appoint our Meeting at the same Hour, then the People will be left to their Choice to which Meeting they will go. The great Woman approv'd of the Proposal, and said, indeed that was the best way. The next Consideration was, where shall the Meeting be? She paused a while, and then said, I think at our House. I from thence gathered she had an Husband, for I thought the Word our, carried in it some Power besides her own, and I presently found he was with us; I then made my Observation on him, and he appeared not a Man of mean Parts, but me so far exceeded him in Soundness of Judgment, Clearness of Understanding, and an elegant way of expressing herself, and that not in an affected Strain, but very natural to her, that it tended to lessen the Qualifications of her Husband.
The Meeting being agreed on, and Care taken as to the Appointment of it, we parted, and I lay down to try if I could get any Sleep, for I have shewed before what fort of a Night the last was with us; but Sleep vanished away from me, and I got up and walked to and fro in the Woods until this [Page 82] Meeting was mostly gathered. I was under a very great Load in my Spirit, but the Occasion of it was hid from me, but I saw it my place to go to Meeting, the Order of which was such, in all the Parts thereof. I had not seen the like before; the large and bright rubbed Room was set with suitable Seats or Chairs, the Glass Windows token out of the Frames, and many Chairs placed without very conveniently, so that I did not see any thing wanting, according to the Place, but something to stand on, for I was not free to set my Feet upon the sine Cane Chair, lest I should break it.
I am the more particular in this exact and exemplary Order than in some other Things, for the Seats both within and without Doors were so placed, that the Faces of the People were towards the Seats where the publick Friends sat, and when so set, they did not look or gaze in our Faces, as some I think are too apt to do, which in my Thoughts bespeaks an unconcerned Mind: The Meeting being thus gathered and set down in this orderly and ample Manner, (although there were but very few bearing our Name in it) it was not long before the mighty Power of the Lord began to work, and in it my Companion especially did appear in Testimony in the fore Part thereof; and while he was speaking, a Priest (not him before touched or, but another) flung out some Reflections upon him, and the People for his Sake, which I did not see the least Occasion for; after which he went away, (but more of this in the Sequel.)
I sat a considerable Time in the Meeting before [Page 83] I could see my Way clear to say any thing, until the Lord's heavenly Power raised me, and set me upon my Feet as if one had lifted me up, and what I had first in commission to speak, was in the Words of Christ to Nicodemus, viz. Except a Man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God; with these Words, Nay, the natural and unregenerate Man cannot so much as see the heavenly and spiritual Kingdom of Christ, which stands not only in Power, but also in Righteousness, Joy and Peace in the holy Spirit; and to be born again, was not to be done unperceivable, no more then the natural Birth could be brought forth without Trouble; and to pretend to be in Christ and not to be new Creatures, is preposterous; and to pretend to be new Creatures, and yet not able to render any Account how it was performed, was unreasonable; for it could not be, as I urged before, without our Knowledge; for to be born again, signified to be quickened and raised into a spiritual and new Life, by which the Body of the Sins of the Flesh is mortified, and we come to live a self-denying Life: Those who are crucified with Christ, they are crucified to their Sins, that as he died for Sin, we might die to Sin: In this State we live not after the Flesh although we live as the Apostle said) in the Flesh; but the Life which these (live, is through Faith in the Son of God; And to have all this, and much more wrought in us, and we know nothing of it, it unaccountable.
As I was thus opened, and delivering these Things, with much more than I can remember, the great Woman I felt, for most of an Hour together, fought and strove against the Testimony, sometimes looking [Page 84] up in my Face with a pale, and then with a more ruddy Complexion; but the Strength of the Truth increased, and the Lord's mighty Power began to shake the People within and without D [...]ors; but she who was looked upon as a Deborah by these People, was loth to lose her outside Religion, or the Appearance thereof: When she could no longer contain, she submited to the Power of Truth, and the Doctrines thereof, and lifted up her Voice and wept: Oh! then the universal Cry and Brokenness of Heart and Tears was wonderful! From this Time I do not remember one Word that I spoke in Testimony, it was enough that I could keep upon the true Bottom, and not be carried away with the Stream above my Measure.
I might add much more concerning this Days Work, but I intend not to [...]y any thing to the Praise of the Creature, but to the Renown of the mighty Name of the Lord of Hoses, and let all Flesh he as in the Dust forever, for while I continued speaking in this State, as before mentioned, and thus swallowed up in the internal Presence of Christ, where there was no want of Power, Wisdom nor Utterance, I spoke but a Sentence and stopt, and so on for some Time, I have since thought of John's being in the Spirit on the Lords Day. If it had been a State to have been continued in, I am of the mind, I should not have been sensible of Weariness, neither of Hanger or Pain. This is a Mystery to many, yet these are faithful and true Sayings, thou mayest read that canst; but there are none who can know the white Stone and new Name, but they who have it: there [Page 85] are none who stand upon Mount Sion with Harps of God in their Hands, but only such as have come through great Tribulations, and have washed their Garments and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb; to these are the Seals of the Book of the Mysteries of the glorious Kingdom opened; these are called out of Nations, Kindreds, Tongues and People; these are redeemed out of the fallen and earthly State of old Adam, into the living, heavenly and spiritual State in Christ the second Adam; these cry holy; the other Part of the Children of Men cry unholy, because they are not willing to cast down their Crows at the Feet or Appearance of Christ in their own Souls; altho' such, with the four Beasts may cry, come and see, yet are they not properly qualified to worship the Lord God and the Lamb before his Throne, as the four and twenty Elders did, and as all do, and will do, who worship God in his holy Temple in Spirit and in Truth, according to his own Appointment; who are not tyed up to the Canons; Creeds, Systems and Dictates of Men, much of which is beaten out of the Wisdom, Parts, and natural Comprehension of earthly fallen Man.
I return from this, which may seem a mysterious Digression to the other Part of what did happen concerning the Meeting, and come now to the breaking up thereof; and as extream Heats oft end in extream Cold, and as great Heights frequently center (as to Man in this Capacity) in great Depths, and great Plenty in great Poverty, which I have often seen to be good in order to keep the Creature low, in Fear, and in a Dependence upon the Lord, I soon [Page 86] fell into such a Condition that I was like to die away; and when it was so, I with my Companion made a Motion to break up the Meeting, but could not for some Time, for they sat weeping universally; then I told the Meeting, especially such as were near me, that if I should faint away, I would not have them to be surprized at it, for I was much concerned lest that should hurt these tender People; my Life was not dear to me in comparison of the Worth of the Souls of the Children of Men; but all this did not break up the Meeting: But after some Time Mary Starbuck stood up, and held out her Hand, and spoke tremblingly and said, All that ever we have been building, and all that ever we have done, is all pull'd down this Day, and this is the everlasting Truth; or very near these Words. Then she arose, and I observed that she and as many as could well be seen, were wet with Tears from their Faces to the fore Skirts of their Garments, and the Floor was as though there had been a Shower of Rain upon it; but Mary, that worthy Woman, said to me, when a little come to consider the poor State that I was in, Dear Child what shall I do for you? I said, a little would do for me; if thou canst get me something to drink that is not strong but rather warm, it may do well: So she did, and I went unto her Son's, where my Cloaths were, that I might shift me, for I felt Sweat in my Shoes as I walked.
I mention this partly for the sakes of such of my Brethren, who may be at any time in the like Case, to take Care to keep out of the Cold, and beware of drinking that which is cold, neither is Brandy good, for [Page 87] for it feeds too much upon the weakned Vitals; but in all Things endeavour to possess your Vessels in Sanctification and Honour: And as it is not in Man's Power to make the Vessel clean nor prepare it, therefore if the Lord doth (with thy Obedience through the Work of his Grace and holy Spirit) fit thy Vessel for his Work and Service, take this Caution; see that thou neither destroy, defile, nor hurt the same. But it may be, some or other have done all these, some one way and some another.
I remember Peleg Slocum (before mention'd) said after this Meeting, that the like he was never at; for he thought the Inhabitants of the Island were shaken, and most of the People convinced of the Truth: However, a great Convincement there was that Day, Mary Starbuck was one of the Number, and in a short time after receiv'd a publick Testimony, as did also her Son Nathaniel.
After I was somewhat revived, my Companion having a Mind to speak to the Priest, to know why he did so reflect on him, desired me to go with him, which I did with several more, and coming to his Door where he was set upon a Bench, James Bates asked him, why he did so reflect? He reply'd, he was in a Passion, and had nothing against him; then James forgave him, and they fell into some Debate concerning Faith my Friend urged the Apostle James's Words, which are these, As the Body is dead without the Spirit, so is Faith without Works. The Priest said, Dead Faith was nothing, and that it had no Being in the World. I thought he appear'd to be in the Craft; and after they had tugg'd at it a while, I said, [Page 88] I found something in my Mind to interpose, if they would hear me; they both shewed a Willingness to hear what I had to say; and then I asked, what Belief or Faith that was the Devils had? for I did not understand, but that although they believed there was a God, they remained Devils still; therefore the Word dead, is a proper Word, and properly adapted to that which many may call Faith and is not operative, but a Notion that may be received by Education, by hearing or reading, and not that Faith which works by Love, and overcomes the World; and because of its not working, being inactive and useless, is fitly called dead: What dost thou say to that? He said, I was too great a Scholar for him. I replied, there was no great Scholarship in that. He then invited me to stay all Night, and said I should be as welcome as his own Children, and he and I would dispute about that between ourselves. I declin'd it and shewed these Reasons for so doing; If he declin'd the Debate publickly, I would not debate it privately; for then these Neighbours of his would want the Benefit of it; and so we parted, with my saying, as it immediately sprang up in my Heart, Thou hast been a Man in thy young Years that the Lord has been near, and favoured with many Openings, and if thou hadst been faithful to the Gift of God, thou mightest have been serviceable, but thou Last been unfaithful, and a Cloud is come over thee, and thou art laid a side as useless.
I was altogether a Stranger to the State of the Priest, nor had I heard any thing of him, nor indeed of the State of the Inhabitants of the Island, but what I heard after mostly from Mary Starbuck; for [Page 89] as we walked from the Priest's House towards our Quarters, she said, every Thing she now met with, did confirm her in the Truth; for she knew this was the State of the Priest, as I had said, she being acquainted with him in his best State, and then he had fine Openings, and a living Ministry among them, but of late a Cloud was come over him, and, as I said, he was laid by and useless. She also put me in mind of something I had said in the Meeting about Election, which as near as I can remember was thus: I had endeavoured to make one in the Election, and one born again, much the same; for I had laid waste all claim to Election without being born again; for as Christ was the Chosen or Elect of God, who never fell, could such who were in the Fall be the Branches of Christ, the pure heavenly Vine? Or such who were found in the impure State, and in the Degeneracy, by Reason of Sin and wicked Works? Or would Christ be married to a People, and become as their Husband, who were in an unconverted State? Could this be the true Church of Christ? Could this be the Lamb's Bride, who had departed from his Spirit, and was in the Pollutions of the World through Lust, and runing after the Pleasures and Fineries of the World, depending upon Ceremonies, and outside Things and Elements, which appear not to be essential to our Salvation, neither do we find Life in them, nor Conversion through them? I was of the Apostle's Mind, that neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any Thing, but a new Creature: And what Man in the World can say, that Water (although he may have been baptized or dipped into [Page 90] the same) hath converted him, or changed his State From a natural to a spiritual, or from a dead to a living State in Christ? Or, who that have gone through the most celebrated Ceremonies (as some may account them) had thereby got Dominion over Sin and Satan?
Having thus treated of Things, or to this purpose, among them, I said to Mary that she warred and strove against the Testimony for a Time: And as near as I remember, she said their Principle was, That such who believed once in Christ, were always in him, without Possibility of falling away; and whom he had once loved, he loved to the End: And it was a Distinction they had given to their Church, to be called Electarians; and as I said, or near it, she had no mind to be pulled out of her strong Hold. But when she saw the Glory of Christ, and the true Church, as the Queen of the South saw Solomon's, and the Glory of his House; and as she had her Questions and Doubts answered, she had no more Spirit in her, or Doubts or Questions, but openly owned, This is the Truth, this is the Glory I have heard so much of: That Spirit of doubting and questioning was swallowed up now, by her hearing and beholding for herself this greater than Solomon, his Wisdom and Glory, and the great House that he had built (the Servants, the Attendance, and excellent Order, with the Ascent unto the House of God, which were all wonderful in Solomon's House, carried in them a lively Resemblance of Christ, his Power, Glory and Wisdom) as also that Order and Mean which is seen among his faithful Servants, his Church and People even such as our spiritual Solomon rules in and over [Page 91] by his Spirit and Power. Here is Solomon, [...] Peace, elsewhere called the Prince of Peace; and as Solomon ruled in Jerusalem, formerly called Salem. or City of Peace, and indeed over all Judah, and ever all his Tribes, so doth Christ in his Kingdom every where upon the Face of the whole Earth. Learn this, see and know in and for thyself, that thou art truly translated out of the Kingdom of Death and Da [...]ess into the Kingdom of Christ, which is a Kingdom of Power, Life, Light, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost. I was much bowed down in my Spirit, and in Weakness, Fasting, and in much Fear; for the more that Truth appears, the more it brings the Creature into Self-abasement.
A Passage is here revived to my Mind, which was thus: After a large Yearly-meeting, where were many able Ministers, one of whom was worthy WILLIAM PEN, who taking me aside after the Meeting, said The main Part of the Service of this Day's Work went on thy Side, and we saw it, and were willing and easy to give away to the Truth, though it was through thee, who appears but like a Shrub; and it is but reasonable the Lord make use of whom be pleases: Now, methinks, thou mayst be cheerful, From which I gathered, that he thought I was too much inclinable to be cast down; therefore I gave him this true Answer, I endeavour to keep in a medium, out of all Extreams, as believing it to be most agreeable to my Station; with this Remark, the worst of my Times rather imbitter the best to me: WILIAM shook his Head, and said with much Respect, There are many who steer in this Course besides thee, and it is the safest Path for [Page 92] us to walk in; with several other Expressions which bespoke Affection.
This worthy Man, and Minister of the Gospel, notwithstanding his great Endowments and excellent Qualifications, yet thought it his place to stoop to and give way to the Truth, and let the holy Testimony go through whom it might please the Lord to impower and employ in his Work, although it might be through contemptible Instruments. I sincerely desire this may prove profitable to those whom it may concern, and into whose Hands it may come, that the Lord's Work may be truly, minded, and given way unto, when it is opened; for seeing no Man can open it, let not any drive on the Man's Part to shut the same. I have at times seen something of this Nature, which hath not been altogether to my Satisfaction; a Word to the Wise may serve, I would hope and may be sufficient for a Caution, for what I have written is in the Love of God, and under a Concern that hath been upon my Mind at Times, for some Years, to leave behind me a gentle Caution to my tender Friends of both Sexes, to have an especial Care in all things, to recommend not only their Gifts, but their Demeanor in them, as a also their Conversations after them, to every Man's Conscience in the Sight of God, so that you may build up the Lord's House (like the wise Woman) and always have a great Care, that nothing you say or do may any way tend to the Hindrance of the Lord's Work, or discourage the Weakest in the Flock of Christ, but labour to fasten every Stake, and strengthen every Cord of Sion, and as much as you are capable, build [Page 93] up the Tabernacle in Jerusalem, for as God is a Spirit, and the Soul of Man is a spiritual Existence, and as the Soul and Body of Man become sanctified and prepared, as a Temple for the Lord by his holy Spirit to tabernacle in, the Lord is to such as a Sanctuary to fly to, and rest in, from Heats and from Storms: Here is the true Church's Rock, and Place of Defence (to wit) the Name and Power of the mighty God. Oh! that all the Inhabitants of the Earth were acquainted with this Name, and Rock of Defence, they would not then be so much overcome, as they are, with the Power of the Enemy of the Soul, but live above his Region, which is in the Earth, or rather, in the earthly Hearts of Men. All you who have escaped the Pollutions of the World, keep in your Tents, until the Lord moves and leads forward, and opens the Way, sometimes as in a Wilderness.
Read and understand from whence these Things have their Rise and Original, for there is the Church's Safety, and its Comliness too, in abiding in the Truth; this is your Place of Safety where the Enemy has no Power, where the Wiles of Satan and Inventions of Man cannot reach, no Inchantment hath Power over these, renowned be the great Name of the Lord now and for ever.
How comfortable, how easy and pleasant are even all the Book, and Testimonies, and Exhortations, that are given forth in the Spirit, Love and Life of Christ! yea, the very Company and Conversation of such who are preserved in the Life, becomes a sweet Savour of Divine Life to the Living; there is [Page 94] Edification, Comfort and Consolation, a strengthning and building up one of another in the most holy and precious Faith, so that I find the truly quickned Soul taketh great Delight to resort to, and as much as may be, converse with the awakened and truly quickned Souls who take up the Cross of Christ daily, and follow him in the Way of Self-denial, although it be a Way that is much spoken against, by such who know not the Nature and Discipline of the holy Cross, and despise such who are true Followers of Christ. To feel this essential Virtue, Seed or Leaven of the Kingdom, or Salt of the Covenant (Christ) to work so effectually to the restoring of the Powers and Faculties of the Soul, into the first Rectitude and Purity, that all the Malignity may be throughly purged out, with all the Dross or Tin, which defileth the Man; and makes him unfit for the Kingdom and for the Service of God, is a great Work. Neither is the Vessel preserved clean, (when it is in degree cleansed) but through great Care, Watchfulness and Diligence in attending upon the Lord with great Devotedness, and Resignation to his Mind and Will in all Things: Experience hath taught us, as well as what we read in the holy Scriptures, that there are many Combats to go through for such as are engaged in this Warfare, before the above-said State, viz. Deliverance from Sin and Satan, and a Sabbatical or peaceful Rest in Christ can be obtained to the Soul.
Come thou that lovest the Light, and bringest thy Deeds to the Light; and believest in the Light, and least thy Body full of Light, by keeping thine Eye single [Page 95] to God, and in and to all Things that may tend to his Glory and thy Duty, thou wilt become a Child of the Light, and receive the whole Armour of Light; this is that which will arm thee on the right Hand and on the left: Put off thy own Righteousness, which it may be thy Breast hath been too much possess'd with, and put on Christ's Righteousness as a Breast-plate, for it much imboldens in imminent Dangers, and also at approaching Death; wait upon him that hath Power, that thy Feet may be shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace; so that as the Gospel-Power, and Gospel-Ministry, all tend to gather into the Ways of the Gospel and of Virtue, thou mayst not fail to be a Preacher of Righteousness in thy Walking, and in thy whole Conversation; for this is one of the good Ends for which the Gospel-Power hath reached and visited thy Soul, viz. to purge it and make it clean; and take care to have upon thy Head the Helmet of Salvation, which will be a Strength and as a Crown to thee, not only in thy many Encounters, but more especially in thy last Encounter with Death; and that thou mayst have Faith as a Shield to put on, that thou mayst overcome the World and have Victory; and above all things, take to thyself the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, that through this excellent Armour of Proof, thou mayst be able to quench all the fiery Darts and Temptations of the Devil.
If thou art a Soldier of Christ, this is thy Armour; these are thy Accoutrements which fit thee for thy Vocation, as a Follower of the Lamb through many Encounters with thy Enemies, which [Page 96] Armour will give thee the Victory, and bring thee through many Tribulations which is the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Now leaving the Eastern Parts of New-England, and these fine tender People on Nantucket Island, with fervent Supplications and Prayers to the Lord of Heaven and Earth, that he would prosper his blessed Work of Conversion which he had begun amongst them, and in all such upon the Face of the whole Earth, in the next Place I came to Lynn, to Samuel Collings, where I had not been long before I met with an unusual Exercise, which I had expected for some Time would fall upon me, viz.
Having heard of George Keith's Intention of being at Lynn Monthly-meeting the next Day, (this Lynn, as near as I remember, lies between Salem in the East Part and Boston) the Evening coming on, as I was writing to some Friends in old England, one came in haste to desire me to come down, for George Keith was come to the Door, and a great Number of People and a Priest with him, and was railing against Friends exceedingly. I said, Inasmuch as I understand this Lynn's Meeting is, although large, mostly a newly convinced People, I advise you to be swift to hear, but slow to speak, for George Keith hath a Life in Argument; and let us as a People seek unto, and cry mightily to the Lord, to look down upon us, and help us for his Name's sake, for our Preservation, that none may be hurt.
The Country was much alarmed; for, as Friends said, George Keith had given Notice two Weeks before-hand, that he intended to be at this Monthly-meeting, [Page 97] and the People were in great Expectation to hear the Quakers run down, for George Keith had boasted much of what he would prove against Friends. So after some Pause, Retirment and fervent Seeking to the Lord for Direction and Counsel in this important Affair, I went to the Rails, and leaned my Arms on them near George Keith's Horse's Head, as he sat on his Back, and many People were with him; but the few Friends who were come stood with me in the Yard. My fervent Prayers were to the Lord, that it he gave me any thing to speak to George, it might go forth in that Power and Wisdom which was able to wound that wicked Spirit in which he appear'd, and boasted over Friends after the following Manner, crying, Is here a Man that is a Scholar? Is here a Man that understands the Languages amongst you? If so I will dispute with him. I told him, It was probable that the English Tongue was most understood and used amongst that People, and therefore I thought it was the best to keep to it. He went on and said, that he was come in the Queen's Name to gather the Quakers from Quakerism, to the Mother Church, the good old Church of England, and that he intended to exhibit in our Meeting on the Morrow these Charges following against us, which, he said, he could prove we were guilty of, out of our Friends Books, viz. Errors, Heresies, damnable Doctrines and Blasphemies: Look said he, to answer for yourselves▪ for if you do not, the Auditory will conclude, that what I exhibit against you is true.
I was roused up in my Spirit in a holy Zeal against his wicked Insults and great Threatnings, [Page 98] and said to him, That it was the Fruit of Malice and Envy, and that he was to us but as an heathen Man and Publican; (but more of this anon.) Then he began to cast what Slurs and Odiums he could upon Friends, with such bitter Invectives as his Malice could invent. I stood with an attentive Ear and a watchful Mind; for as I stood leaning upon the Rails, with no small Concern upon my Mind, I felt the Lord's Power arise, and by it my Strength was renewed in the inner Man, and Faith, Wisdom and Courage with it, so that the Fear of Man, with all his Parts and Learning, was taken from me; and in this State George Keith appeared to me but as a little Child, or as nothing: Renowned be the most excellent Name of the Lord, now and for ever. But this great Champion (Goliah like, at least in his Mind) I supposed fear'd not any there; he overlooked us all, and in the Pride of his Heart disdained us; but the Lord of Heaven and Earth looked down upon us in a very acceptable Time, and helped us for his Name's sake, and covered our Heads in the Day of Battle: Glorified be his great Name for ever.
I have sometimes thought to omit some Part of this Account concerning George Keith, but I remember it opened very clearly in my Mind then, and I said to him, That the Hand of the Lord was against him, and that he would pour forth Contempt upon him, for his Disobedience and Wickedness.
But to return to his Reflections; he said, the Quakers pretend to be against all Ceremonies, but he could prove that they used many Ceremonies, as taking one another by the Hand, and Men saluting one another, [Page 99] and Women doing so to one another, and, he said, that Women did salute Men; yea, they had done it to him; as it was generally understood by those who heard him, which I thought not worthy my Notice, (but more of this anon.) He went on and said, the Quakers pretended, to be against all Persecution but they were not clear, for the Quakers in Pennsylvania and the Jerseys had persecuted him, and would have hang'd him, but that there was some Alteration in the Government.
Then came out one of my Arrows which cut and wounded him deep: I said, George, that is not true. Upon that the Priest drew near and appeared very brisk, and said, I had as good as charged Mr. Keith (as he called him) with a Lye. I replied, Give me Time, and I will prove that which George said, was not true, and then thou and he may sake your Advantage to rescue him from that Epithet of a Lyar if you can. The Priest said, I knew not Mr. Keith: I replied, If he knew him as well as I did, he would be asham'd to be there as an Abettor of him. The Priest got away, and troubled me no more in all the Engagements that George and I had afterwards (altho' the said Priest was with him.) Then I demanded of George, What Way our Freinds proceeded against him, and what Measures they took, as he would insinuate, to bring him to the Gallows? But I perceived Fear began to surprize the Hyprocrite, and he thinking by my Boldness I was an Inhabitant in those Parts, and knew his Abuse to Friends in these Provinces, and their peaceable Behaviour towards him, was willing to let the Matter drop, and demanded my Name, [Page 100] which was told him. I then asked, How he could have a Face to urge such a notorious Untruth in the View of that People who were much Stranger's to, and ignorant of the Troubles and Differences, chiefly created by him, among Friends in those Parts?
This Meeting (as before mentioned) being generally newly convinced of the Truth, therefore I urged to have him come to the Particulars of Friends Proceedings against him, that even for very Shame, among those Strangers he would set forth as far as he could in Truth, the Steps Friends had taken in persecuting him, as he pretended; but he would not meddle in the least with it. Then I shewed him, and the People, the Falsity of his Charge, and the Wickedness of his Spirit, and the Peaceableness of Friends Behaviour towards him, and what great Affronts and Provocations they had put up with at his Hand, as I had it from those who were Eye and Ear Witnesses of it: For, as I shewed George Keith, I had searched into the Bottom of these Matters, and heard that when he stood before Governors and Assembly Men in their Courts of Judicature, when they were met about the Affairs of the three Provinces, he has tore open his Buttons and told them, His Back tickled for a Whipping, and could they not cut him into Collops, and fry, and eat them with Salt: And that he scorn'd they should wipe his Shoes: All which, with much more, I told him I could prove against him. And when he saw he could not provoke Friends to give him some condign Punishment, which I thought, as I said to him, none but Friends would have spared, especially, when his, [Page 101] Back tickled so much for a Whipping; but they like Men of Peace and Religion overlooked it all, and he like a Man full of Malice, rather than want something to slur and blacken Friends with, writ a Letter I know not where, but dated it from Bridlington Prison in West-Jersey. It must have been dated on the outside of the Prison, the Doors being lock'd, so that he could not get into it; yet this went current far off, that George Keith was in Prison; consequently by Friends Procurement, they being chief at the Helm of Government in those three Provinces.
I asked, What he had to say to all this, for it was all provable? He did not object one Word against what I had said, but vainly hoping for better Success relating to his Undertaking in old England, finding me (as he might suppose) (so well vers'd in the American Affairs, hoped (no doubt) that I had been more ignorant of the Affairs in Britain: But poor Man, he sped as ill there also; for he boastingly said, Since it pleased God to open his Eyes to see into the worst of the Quakers Errors; although, he said, Charity did oblige him to construe every thing at the best whilst in Fellowship with them, but since they were so opened, as he said, he had been instrumental to bring from Quakerism, to the good old Mother Church in old England five hundred People. I replied, that is not true: If he rightly considered what he had done in old England, he had little cause to boast; for, I said, I thought about as many Persons as he spoke of Hundreds, would make up the Number there; and if there was Occasion, I could name all or most of them: [Page 102] And withal told him, that some of those few, whilst among us, were grown to be neither honourable nor comfortable to us. I urged George, if he could, to name or make appear more in Number than I had mentioned, that he had so gathered, as he had falsly said. This was a very great Stroke upon him, and put him to a Stand.
He then began to ask of my Country, and from whence I came? With the Account of which I humoured him; yet withal put him in mind of his great Brag, and importuned him to make something appear towards that great Matter he had done in old England, even for very shame; for I was asham'd for him, that a Man of his Learning, Parts and Pretensions, should so expose himself; but he went no farther about it. Then I shewed to the People what Sort of a Man he was, (as they themselves could not but see, who were impartial) and that he was not worthy of our Notice; for he cared not what he said, so that he could but calumniate and abuse us.
By this Time he appeared somewhat glutted with the sharp Sword and keen Arrow the Lord gave me, which cut and wounded deep, so that from this Time I did not find in our after Encounters, he appear'd at any time so bold and desperately hardy, but rather expressed himself, altho' very wickedly, yet in a softer Tone. He was now for being gone, threatning us with what he would do on the Morrow; but I reminded him, that he was to us an heathen Man or a Publican, and that what he exhibited against us, being but the Fruits of Wrath and Envy, [Page 103] as such we slighted and trod it under our Feet as Dirt, and rather desired his Absence than his Company: So away he went, only telling us, he would be with us in the Morning. We understood by it, that he intended to be with us at the Friend's House, the Meeting-house being about a Quarter of a Mile from our Lodgings.
The Evening coming on, the neighbouring Presbyterian Women fell hard upon our Women Friends about their saluting Men, which George Keith had charged upon them, as was generally understood in the Plural, and this appeared as a Con [...]ation, as they alledged, because what charged, I made no Reply to it, as I had done to all or most other Charges, and had overthrown Mr. Keith, as they said, so that he was not able to stand before me: They ought to have said before the Lord the first Place: But how the Women might clear themselves of that Reflection was the present Business: I said, I thought it would be the best, at a suitable Time in the Morning when George Keith was come, that by handsomely bringing the Matter over him, they might learn what Women they were who saluted him, and so clear themselves from the Reflection cast upon them; for, I said, perhaps he will limit it to some of his near Kindred (as Wife, Mother, Sister, Daughter) which may serve for a Salvo in this present Case; for I did not know of any such general Practice in any Place where I had been, and I had visited most of the Meetings in England, Scotland, and Wales. So in the Morning when George, with two Priests, and many People were come, with some Friends, who filled the House, [Page 104] a Woman Friend stood up and brought the Matter discreetly over George Keith. But when she put the Question in the Plural, (Women) he shifted the Term and said, he did not say Women. I desired the Friend to call to her Neighbours who heard what George Keith had said the last Evening, and were now present, how they understood the Word? One like a wise and just Man said. He would do Justice to every Man; and he understood that George said Women; and many said to the same Purpose, but none to the Contrary. The Friends asked me, How I understood the Wor [...] As being a North Country-man, I might know better be North or Scotch Dialect then they. I reply'd They had a broad way of expressing the Word Woman, rather sounding it like the plural, but I understood it Women, as the above mentioned discreet Man had said.
The next Question she put to him was, What Woman? He answered, A good old motherly Woman that was gone to Heaven many Years ago. Then she asked, What Country Woman? He reply'd, A Scotch Woman. The Friend said, It was very well that he had cleared all the World of that Fault (if it might be so term'd) but Scotland, and the Woman dead many Years ago. The Women Friends were greatly satisfied, and glad they were so finely discharged of that which some counted a soul Reflection, and especially before their zealous Neighbours the Presbyterians, who (as the Friends said) probably might have twitted them with it, whether the Matter was true or false, if it had not been clear'd up; but, as I said to George, it was a Reflection for Reflection's [Page 105] Sake: For I was willing to set every thing that was wrong (as far as I was capable) in its proper Light, that Friends and others, of all Perswasions and Qualities who were present, might see Things as they really were, and not be deceived; and I had much Satisfaction in so doing. And inasmuch as I was engaged in the Defence of the Truth, it appeared the most clear to me, to load him with his own Lies, Mistakes and Wickedness, and to do what we did, as much as in us lay, in the Lord's mighty Power [...] for he appeared to me, like to the Angels who kept not their first State.
Matters being thus far gone through, and the Meeting-time drawing on, I was in some Concern of Mind, left any should be hurt by either hearing or answering George Keith, he having a great Propensity to jangling; it therefore opened in my Mind to ask him a Question, withal reminding him, that he was but to us as an heathen Man or a Publican, yet he might, if he pleas'd answer me the Question, which was, Whether he was always found in the fundamental Doctrines of Christianity, yea or nay? Upon which he sat a considerable Time in Silence, of which I was truly g [...] my Spirit being much bowed under the Apprehension I had, of the weighty Exercise that was likely to attend the approaching Meeting. But before we parted, George stood up, and taking his Staff in his Hand by the Middle, said, While he was a Quaker, he thought, as Paul thought, that he had the Spirit of God, and when he had the Spirit of God, then he wrote found Things, but when he had it not, then he wrote unsound Things. I asked, Whether [Page 106] these unsound Things he wrote were in Fundamentals, yea, or nay? If not in Fundamentals, then my Question remained firm and untouched. He would have gone from the Matter, but I reminded him of it again, as I supposed he foresaw that he could not answer it, but by bringing a Stroke upon himself, for if he had owned his being unsound, I had it under his own Hand, in a Book written after he left Friends, that he was always sound &c. And if he had said, he was always sound in the Fundamentals, as before, then I intended to have asked, why he left us? For he advocated the same orthodox Principles which we believed and taught; but we ended quietly, and prepared to go to the great Meeting, for by this time many Friends and People were come, and coming from every Quarter, to see and hear how Matters would go between the poor Quakers, and this great Champion in his Heart George Keith, for I thought he most resembled the great Goliah of Gath, who defied the Armies of the living God, of any I had ever yet seen in all my Travels, in a religious respect.
Now to the Meeting we went; George Keith, with two Priests, and a great many People gathered together of several Professions and Qualities into one Body, and Friends and some friendly People into another Body; and as we came near to the Meeting-house, I stood still, and took a View of the People, and it appear'd to m [...] as if two Armies were going to engage in Battle: There appear'd with George Keith Men of considerable Estates, Parts, and Learning, and we appear'd like poor [Page 107] Shrubs; and, under a Sense of our present State, I had like to have been dismay'd, and my Faith had even like to have failed me, but I cried mightily to the God and Fountain of all our tender Mercies, that he would look down upon us, and help us in this Time of great Exercise, which was not hid from him, but his penetrating Eye saw, and his watchful Providence attended us, blessed be his Name forever. I continued my fervent Prayers and Intercessions to the Lord of Hosts, that he would arise for his great Name's sake, and work for us that Day, that the Enemies of Truth might not triumph or vaunt over us, and that none of these tender Plants, which he had brought to the saving Knowledge of the Truth, might be hurt.
I had no sooner thus heartily sought to the Lord, but I felt renewed Strength come upon me, and the Fear of Man was taken away from me, and I saw evidently that Truth would have the Victory that Day, and my Faith and Confidence was greatly strengthned in the Lord. These Breathings forth of my Spirit to the Lord were in secret, without Words to be heard by Men, but the Lord hears and knows the Distress and Language of the Spirit.
Being thus encouraged in myself, it arose in my Heart to speak to Friends before we went into the Meeting-House, and I advised them to be swift to hear and slow to speak, and that what was spoken might be in the Lord's Power, for that wounds George the most, and slays that wicked and ranting Spirit in him, more than all the Wisdom of Words without it; and let us maintain our Testimony of Denial against him, and endeavour [Page 108] to get together into one Body, that we may be an Help and Strength one to another; and let every one who knows the Lord, cry mightily unto him, that his living Power and Presence may be amongst us, and I believed the Lord would not suffer any to be hurt. So the Meeting gathered, and immediately after, George stood up to tell us (as before) that be was come in the Queen's Name to gather Quakers from Quakerism, to the good old Mother Church, the Church of England (as he called it) and that be could prove out of our own Books, that we held Errors, Herefies, damnable Doctrines and Blasphemies; with a Threat to look to ourselves to answer, or else the Auditory would conclude, that what he exhibited against us was true. I expected some of the elder Friends would say something to him, but none did; and I having a deep Concern upon my Mind, lest Truth, or the Friends of Truth, should suffer thro' our Mismanagement, and such as waited for Occasion, might have an Occasion administred by us against ourselves; I say, under this Concern of Mind I stood up, and signified to the People what manner of Man George Keith was; notwithstanding he had walked many Years amongst us, yet towards the latter End of his so walking with us, he grew very troublesome, by reason of a contentious Spirit which did possess him: and after much Labour and excercising of Patience, and extending of Love towards him, in order to recover and reclaim him, all that Labour of Love and much Forbearance would not avail, but he still persisted in the Work of Contention and Disturbance: Then he was publickly disowned, and testified against by us, as a Person [Page 109] with whom we had no Unity or Fellowship: And being thus cast out, he became to us (agreeable to the Sayings of Jesus Christ) as an Heathen Man or a Publican; and being thus disjointed, to expose us, what lay in his Power, to all Sorts of People, he chose printing against us; wherein he hath much abused us, in leaving out many times the explanatary Parts of Sentences, and coining Words to make the Meaning appear different from what was design'd and indeed, from what was most fair and genuine: Therefore, some of our Friends found themselves concern'd to follow him in Print, for the clearing us from what he, through Envy, would have willingly fasten'd upon us, and to return his Self-contradictions, Misinterpretations, and Misapplications of our Writings upon himself, and to clear our own Innocency, and manifest the Perversness and Wickedness of his Spirit: Neither do we, as a People, hold ourselves to be under any Obligation to follow him into foreign Parts of the World, to answer his Arraignments and Charges, not being conscious to ourselves that we hold any thing contrary to sound and orthodox Doctrine; and also knowing that what he exhibits against us, is the Fruit of Envy and Malice, as such we reject it, and trample it under our Feet; and were it not for your Sakes, who are Strangers to these Things, we should take no further Notice of George Keith than to slight and reject him as a Man that cares not what he says, nor is he worthy of our Notice.
Then pausing a little, George being quiet, a Friend stood up with a short, but living Testimony, [Page 110] and then my Companion; all this in much Weight and with good Demonstration. After them it pleased the Lord to open my Mouth, I think in as much Strength, Clearness and Demonstration as ever, beginning with the following Words, In that Way you call Heresy do we Worship the God of our Fathers, believing all Things that are written concerning Jesus Christ, both as to his God-head and Manhood; giving a summary Account of his Birth, working of Miracles, some of his Doctrine, Sufferings and Death, Ascension and Glorification, the Coming of the Spirit of Truth, or Comforter, to lead all those who receive, believe, and obey it, into all Truth: Having great Openings concerning the Law and Prophets, and the Beginning, Service and End of the Ministration of John the Baptist. The People appeared very much down and attentive, for the Lord's heavenly baptizing Power was amongst us that Day: It was thought, many were there who had not been at any of our Meetings of Worship before, and the Presence of the Priests there, opened a Door for all the rest.
I being clear, lest them unto the Grace of God, and unto their free Teacher Christ, whose heavenly Power in the Appearance of his Spirit, the last and lasting Dispensation, was exalted that Day above all the shadowy and typical Things that ever had been in the World; A good Meeting it was, and Friends were mutually comforted and edified in the internal Presence of the Lord.
The Priest of this Place, whose Name was Sheppard, before my Mouth was opened in Testimony, [Page 111] made Preparation to write, and when I began to speak, he had his Hat upon his Knee, and his Paper upon its Crown, and Pen and Ink in his Hands, and made many Motions to write, but writ nothing; as he began so he ended, without writing at all. And as Friends entered the Meeting-house in the Lord's Power, even that Power which cut Rahab, and wounded the Dragon, which had been at work, kept down in a good degree the wrong Spirit in George, for he appear'd much down: But this busy Priest called to him several Times to make his Reply to what I had spoke. After some Time I said to the Priest, in Behalf of the Meeting, that he might have Liberty to make Reply. He proposed to have another Day appointed for a Dispute to which I said, if he did make a voluntary Challenge, which he should not say we put him upon, we, or some of us (meaning Friends) if a Day and Place were agreed upon, should find it our Concern to answer him as well as we could. He said, he would have Mr. Keith to be with him: I told him, if he should, and med [...]led in the Dispute, if I was there, I should reject him for Reasons before assign'd. When the Priest had said this and somewhat more, an Elder of the Presbyterian Congregation clapt him on the Shoulder, and bid him sit down; so he was quiet, and then stood up George Keith, and owned he had been refreshed amongst us that Day, and had heard a great many sound Truths, with some Errors, but that it was not the common Doctrine which the Quakers preached.
I then stood up and said, I had something to say to obviate what George Keith would insinuate; for his [Page 112] Drift was to infuse an Opinion into them, that the Quakers did not commonly preach up Faith in the Manhood of Christ, as I had done that Day: I appealed to the Auditory, whether they thought there was a Necessity frequently to press a Matter so universally received amongst Christians, as Faith in the Manhood of Christ was? Yet we, as a People, had so often and clearly demonstrated our Faith in the Manhood of Christ, both in our Testimonies and Writings, as might satisfy any unbiass'd Person, or such who were not prejudiced against us; and we know not of any People who believe more scripturally in the Manhood of Christ than we do: But inasmuch as the Grace, Light and holy Spirit, is highly concern'd in the Work of Man's Salvation, as well as what Christ did for us without us, and this being yet much a Mystery to many called Christians, it pleases God to open, in the Course of our Ministry, into the Meaning and Mystery thereof, and to press the latter more than the former. To which George made no Reply, but began to exhibit his Charges against us (as mentioned before) and said, he could prove them out of our Friends Books, naming George Fox, and Edward Burrough, &c. He had in a Paper a great many Quotations out of Friends Books, and a young Man with him had many Books in a Bag, out of which, he said, he would prove the Charges he was about to exhibit against us.
He was now crowded up into the Gallery between me and the Rail, with a Paper in his Hand; and I standing over him, and being taller, could see his Quotations and his Paraphrases upon them, on [Page 113] which I told him loudly that all the Meeting might hear, That he offered Violence to that Sense and Understanding which God had given him, and he knew in his Conscience, we were not that People, neither were our Friends Writings either damnable or blasphemous, as be through Envy endeavoured to make the World beleive and that be would not have Peace in so doing, but Trouble from the Lord in his Conscience. I spoke in the Lord's dreadful Power, and George trembled so much as I seldom ever saw any Man do: I pitied him in my Heart, yet, as Moses said once concerning Israel, I felt the Wrath of the Lord go forth against him: George said, Do not judge me; I reply'd the Lord judges, and all who are truly one in Spirit with the Lord, cannot but judge thee. So he gave over, and it appearing a suitable Time to break up the Meeting, Friends parted in great Love, Tenderness, and Brokenness of Heart; for the Lord's mighty Power had been in and over the Meeting from the Beginning to the End thereof, glorified and renowned be his most excellent Name, now and for ever, for his Mercies are many to those that love and fear him who is the Fulness of all Good.
This Meeting was not only for Worship, but also for Business, as I said to the People at our parting; it was Friends Monthly-meeting, in which their Poor, Fatherless, and Widows were taken Care of, and such other Things as concern them as a People. Two Friends were desired to stay, to hear what George had to say to them who remained, which said [...]wo Friends gave an Account to us afterwards, that George said to the People after we were gone, that the Quakers [Page 114] had lest none to dispute with him but on Ass and a Fool; when I heard it, I said, could you not have reply'd, An Ass was once mode sufficient to reprove the Madness of the Prophet?
George called to see me the next Day, and said You had the Advantage over me Yesterday, for you perswaded me to be quiet until you had done, and then you would not stay to hear me; neither indeed were we under any Obligation so to do: I told him, I hoped that Truth would always have the Advantage over those who opposed it; and so we parted, but met again upon Rhode-Island, the Governor of which Place, who was a friendly Man, having heard of my Intention of coming thither, ordered the Deputy-Governor, when I came, to have me to him, which he did; and when he saw me at the Door, and after Enquiry heard my Name, he took me by the Hand and led me like a Brother, or rather more like a tender Father, into a Room, setting me down by him, and then began to say, I have heard much of you, and I desired to see you long, and am glad you are here. I finding him near me in Spirit, was very open in my Mind to him, and answered him with much Clearness and Satisfaction. I remember he asked, Whether I thought the Sourness in the Minds of the Presbyterians against us, was not rather abated? I told him, I did believe it was; and if our Friends did but observe to walk wisely, and live up to what they professed, they would overcome it all. He said, that was the way, and there was not another comparable to it; and, as he said, and I believe it was so, he bad no other view in sending for me, but to manifest his Respects to me, and [Page 115] to do me any Service that lay in his Power: I told him, I was sensible of his Love, and wish'd I could be capable of retaliating that which in Gratitude his Kindness to me called for: He said, he desired no more than when I came that way I would visit him, if be was living. I told him, I intended so to do, if ever it was my Lot to come there again. I then desired he would be at the Meeting next Day, George Keith proposing to be there, in all likelihood it would be very large; which he promised he would, and accordingly came.
George made little Disturbance in the beginning of the Meeting, but commanded the Governor to quiet the Quakers: A priest said, Mr. Keith, you ought not to command the Governor, but intreat his; well then, he intreated the Governor to quiet the Quakers that he might be heard; whereupon the Governor, like a Man of Justice and Wisdom, stood up and said, It was not in his Power to quiet the Quakers; inasmuch as the House is theirs, and they have appointed the Meeting, it is but reasonable they should have their Liberty, and if they be willing, when they have done, you have your Liberty to say what you have to say to these who will stay to hear you: So the Governor being next me, lean'd his Hand, upon me, and went away in a sober Manner. George was quiet, and we had a good Meeting, and so parted.
After most of the Friends were gone, a Friend and I went to the Meeting-house Door, to hear what George said; he held his Bible in his Hand, and said it was promised, that the Gospel should be preached unto every Creature under Heaven; but if it [Page 116] was truly translated, it would be in every Creature, (not in every Creature as Horse, Cow, &c. but in every rational Creature of Mankind:) And then their Meeting broke up in Confusion.
My next Remove was to Long-Island, where I met with Thomas Story, and John R [...]dman; John desired Thomas and me to be assistant to him in preparing a Writing against George Keith, when he came to Flushing Meeting upon the aforesaid Island, which Writing was to this Effect, viz.
‘Whereas Colonel West, an Inhabitant in these Parts, who died and made Males Forster a Trustee, gave by Will a considerable Sum of Money to poor Friends of London, which Money was ordered by the Testator to be put into the Hands of some faithful Friends or the aforesaid City of London, to distribute as above.’ A true Copy of which Will we obtain'd and at the Meeting made it fairly appear to George Keith's Face, that he had wrong'd the Poor in receiving Fifty Pounds of the aforesaid Money of Miles Forster, as appear'd under Miles's own Hand; which George did not deny when he was charged with it in the Meeting, as knowingly to have robbed the Poor; it being made fairly appear, that George Keith had no Right to meddle with the Money, neither as a faithful Friend, nor yet as a poor Friend of London, because he was then in America; and what made him more incapable of claiming any Part of it, was his being got into the Spirit of Strife and Enmity against Friends, and therefore, before they could hear his Charges, he ought to have first laid down the Money, or given [Page 117] such Security as Friends approved of; neither of which he was capable of doing: So he was slighted by all or most of the People, as well as by Friends, and this block'd up his Way to much that we had little or no Trouble with him in that Part of the World: But the Lord wrought for his Name's Sake, and the Preservation of his tender People, Praises and Honour be given to his great Name, now and for ever. Thus ended this Engagement betwixt a poor Servant or Christ, and a grand Apostate, who appeared to fight against Reason, Sense and Conscience. Think not, my Friends, the Account too long, for it hath seem'd to me, for some time, a Debt due to my Brethren, and a piece of Justice to the Memory of George Keith, for his Wickedness, Revolting, and sad Apostacy. Few there are who can believe how great the Power of Darkness and Wickedness of that Mind and Spirit was, which possessed and breathed through him; so great it was, that even the considerate and sober People said, they did not think that George Keith had been so wicked a Man as they now found he was upon Trial. Courteous Friend and Reader, hold fast that which thou hast receiv'd, that none may take thy Crown, for it is said up in Store for the Righteous only, and such who hold out to the End, in the same pure Righteousness which is of Christ wrought and continued in Man, by the Operation and Indwelling of his holy Spirit, as Man abideth in Subjection and Obedience to the Leadings and Dictates thereof.
I told George, that I was much ashamed of his complimenting Great People; for I observed he sometimes [Page 118] said thee and thou, and sometimes you, and Sir; sometimes put his Hat off, and sometimes kept it on: I told him, before I would be so unhandy, if I intended to be ceremonious, I would have gone to School a while, before I would shame myself as he had done. If I have not wrote the very Words, in all my Accounts in the preceeding Pages, I have the Substance: And for a Conclusion I had to say to George Keith, The Hand of the Lord was against him, and would follow him, unless be repented.
This Account carries in it an Admonition to us, und to Friends in future Ages, into whose Hands it my come, to beware of letting in the Spirit of Envy, Prejudice, and Pride of Heart, which I clearly saw was that which, with too much leaning to his natural Abilities and Learning, was his Overthrow, he not keeping to the Lord's holy Spirit, the Life and Strength of his faithful People, and the Key of true Knowledge, the good Remembrancer, and Leader into all Truth, which the Lord sees meet in his Wisdom to open and lead us into; without the Help of which Anointing and holy Spirit, we are apt to be cold and forgetful in our Duties towards God, and also in our Love and Duties one to another; but as the Measure of this Spirit is faithfully kept to, and improved, we grow more and more fruitful in every good Work and Word, to the Glory of God and Comfort of our Souls, and, as the Salt of the Earth, help to season those who are not seasoned.
When I was in the Yearly-meeting upon Rhode-Island, there was a Query concerning what Friends might do, in case there should be a Lay or Tax laid [Page 119] upon the Inhabitants for building some Fortifications, and to provide Men and Arms for the Security of the Island? Such a Thing being then in Agitation, he, who was one of the chief Friends concerned in Church-Affairs, would have me give an Account what we did in the like Case in England; for, he said, they in that Country looked upon themselves but as the Daughter, and Friends here in Old England as their Mother and they were willing to act consistent with us as far as they could, and would know how we did there in that Matter, whether we could pay to that Tax which was for carrying on a vigorous War against France? I was unwilling to meddle with it, as I said; but the Meeting waited a considerable time for my Answer (as one told me) and was not willing to go forward without it; at last, when I could not well do otherwise, I signified to that large Meeting, That I had heard the Matter debated both in superior and inferior Meetings and privately, and the most general Result was this; Friends did not see an effectual Door opened to avoid the Thing, that Tax being mixed with the other Taxes; although many Friends are not so easy as they could desire: Neither have we any further Sway in the Government, than only giving our Voices for such as are concerned therein; therefore, as Things appear to me, there is a great Disparity between our Circumstances and yours here; for you have a great Interest here, and a great Share in the Government, and perhaps may put such a Thing by in voting, considering the Body of Friends, and such as are friendly, whom you have an Interest in; therefore look not for Help from the Mother, [Page 120] wherein she is not capable of helping herself, and thereby neglect your own Business, but mind our own Way in the Truth, and look not out. Friends appeared well satisfied with these Distinctions, and it gave me some Ease, in that I had not hurt any.
During my Stay in one of the Jerseys, a great Weight, more than usual, seized upon my Spirit, as I sat in a Meeting, under a Sense of the same, my Cries ascended unto the Lord, the Fountain of all tender Mercies, that he would please to shew me what was the Cause of that great Power of Darkness which did so oppress my Spirit; and it pleased the Lord to show me, that a Man there had been guilty of some gross Wickedness; and when it appear'd clear to me, to be required of me to express it publickly, it became a very great Exercise to me, and some Reasonings I had, before I gave up to make it publick to that large Meeting of Friends and other People; I laboured under it till towards the Conclusion of the Meeting, but finding my Peace concerned very nearly in the Matter, I stood up in the Gallery and said, Under a Sense of some gross Wickedness commited by some Person not far from me, hath my Spirit been borne down; which Wickedness will in a short Time break forth to the Dishonour of Truth, and Grief of Friends. A great Man who sat in the Gallery by me, started up and seated himself upon the Rail of the Gallery, with his Eyes fixed on me, and I fastned, in the Lord's Dread, my Eyes on him, and said, We have a common Maxim in old England, Touch a gail'd Horse's Back, and he will kick, and I am of the Opinion, he that kicks is not clear. He got down [Page 121] as fast as he could out of my way, for he not only prevented me from the View of the Meeting by setting there, but his Uncleanness stood much in the way of my Service.
After the Meeting was over, several worthy Friends express'd to me the great Concern they were under, lest he should either by Money, or by Subtilty, conceal the Sin and Wickedness, if such was committed; for I found there was a great Fear and Jealousy in the Minds of Friends, that something was wrong with the Man, but I was 'till then altogether a Stranger to their Thoughts, and to the State of the Man; yet I advised that Friends should have a watchful Eye over him and his Family, for I told Friends, my Spirit was easy in what I had delivered, and I believed the Evil would not be concealed. So in my Return, his House-keeper had brought forth a Child, and charged him with being the Father of it, which he deny'd not: Friends then asked me, what they should do in the Case? I said, Let the Judgment of Truth go forth against all manifest Wickedness, without respect of Persons, that the ever blessed Truth, and such as live in it, may be kept clear and in good Esteem before all Men as much as may be.
Something of the like Exercise I met with in a Meeting in Pennsylvania, repeating several times what Oppression my Spirit was under, because of some yet hidden Wickedness, which in a short Time would be brought to light, to the Blemish of the Truth, and great Trouble to Friends. That Very Evening, after the Meeting, a Woman little thought on by Friends to be guilty of such a Crime, went to a worthy Friend [Page 122] and told him, She was the Woman that had done that great Wickedness I had so much complained of, and had borne such a great Load because thereof; and, as the honest Friend said, she wept bitterly, even in the very Anguish of her Soul. He came twelve Miles the next Day to Philadelphia to acquaint me with the Matter, and ask my Advice, which I gave to this Effect; If Friends find upon Enquiry, in the proper Season, that the Woman continues heartily sorry, and truly penitent for what she hath done, for Godly Sorrow worketh Repentance, and if from such a hearty and penitent Sense (which is to he felt beyond Words) she gave forth a Paper against her wicked Doings, not so much to ingratiate herself into Favour, as for the clearing of Truth and Friends, and for the Ease and Peace of her own Mind, and took the Blame and Shame to herself, then Friends may pass it by; if not, Friends must set the Judgment of Truth over manifest Wickedness, as before mentioned.
I went to visit a Meeting in that Part called North-Wales, which had not been long planted in that Place, where there was a fine tender People, but sew understanding English, Rowland Ellis was my Interpreter; a good Meeting it was, and Truth was over all: Some, by the Interpreter, expressed their great Satisfaction in our Visit to that Meeting, which heretofore had not been counted as Friends, but since that have been taken Notice of, and grown into good Esteem with the Body of Friends.
I found it much my Work to be concerned in the Discipline of the Church which was very low in many Places, yet I found there was a Willingness in [Page 123] many Friends Minds to be helped in that needful Affair, for surely it is t good Fence, or a Help to keep the Righteous in, and hurtful and wicked Things and Doings out, if the same be rightly handled, and extended as it ought to be, in the Love and Wisdom of God.
There was one Thing I had like to have omitted, which happened when I was in Rhode-Island, viz. one Rogers came thither to offer (as he said) his Gift in the Yearly-meeting amongst Friends; but they appearing in a great Strait about him, although he had writ in Behalf of Truth's Principles, and suffered Imprisonment, and the taking away his Wise from him, and was not so much as suffered to come to converse with his own Son, but under a Guard or Watch which was set over him, to hear what passed betwixt them, as he told me and some other Friends, which Friends said was true; yet, under the Consideration of the Matter, and Clearness of the Man's Conversation, Friends remained in a Strait what to do; and desired that I would take the Matter upon me, and reason the Case with him, and try if I could persuade him to be easy, and not insist upon any such Thing, as to promise to receive his Gift; for otherwise, he said, he would go where it would be received. I shewed him, that it was a Thing impracticable amongst us, and in itself unreasonable, that we should be by any Pre-engagement obliged to receive that which he might call a Gift, before we heard it; if he believed he had a Gift, he might speak, and, as the Apostle said, we might judge: For it was not impossible but he, who was a Scholar and a wise Man, and [Page 124] had a strong Memory, might have gathered certain Passages out of the Bible or other Books, with what other Interpretations he might have stored up, and speak of, and call a Gift, which we could not receive as a real Gift of the Ministry, which stands in the Spirit and in the Power, and if it be such, it will make way for itself; if not, we cannot receive it. So he went away, and troubled Friends no more that I heard of.
When I was at William Penn's Country-House, called Pensbury, in Pennsylvania, where I staid two or three Days, on one of which I was at a Meeting and a Marriage, and much or the other Part of the Time I spent in seeing (to my Satisfaction) William Penn and many of the Indians, (not the least of them) in Council and Consultation concerning their former Covenants, now again reviv'd upon William Penn's going away for England, all which was done in much Calmness of Temper and in an amicable way. To pass by several particulars, I may mention the following; one was, they never first broke Covenant with any People; for, as one of them said, and smote his Hand upon his Hand three times, that they did not make them there in their Heads, but smiting his Hand three times on his Breast, said they made them (i. e. their Covenants) there in their Hearts. And again, when William Penn and they had ended the most weighty Parts for which they held their Council, William Penn gave them Match Coats and some other Things, with some Brandy or Rum, or both; which was advised by the Speaker for the Indians, to be put into the Hand of one of their Cassacks or [Page 125] Kings, for he knew the best how to order them; which being done, the said King used no Compliments, neither did the People, nor the rest of their Kings; but as the aforesaid King poured out his Drams, he only made a Motion with his Finger, or sometimes with his Eye, to the Person which he intended to give the Dram to; so they came quietly and in a solid manner, and took their Drams, and passed away without either Nod or Bow, any further than [...] required them to stoop, who were on their [...] him who sat on the Gro [...] [...] or, as [...] Cl [...]ce and Manner is: And [...] served (and also heard the like by other [...] that they did not, nor I suppose never do speak, two at a time, not interfere in the least one with another that way in all their Councils, as has been observed. Their Eating and Drinking was in much Stillness and Quietness.
I much desire that all Christians (whether they may be such in Reality or Profession only) may endeavour to imitate these People in those Things which are so commendable, which may be a Means to prevent Loss of Time and expedite Business; as much as may be endeavouring to prevent above one speaking at a tune in Meetings of Conference and of Business.
When much of the Matters were gone through I put William Penn in mind to enquire of the Interpreter, it he could find some Terms or Words that Wight be intelligible to them, in a religious Sense by which he might reach the Understandings of the Natives, and inculcate into their Minds a Sense of [Page 126] the Principles of Truth, such is Christ's manifesting himself to the inward Senses of the Soul, by his Light, Grace or holy Spirit, with the Manner of the Operations and working therreof in the Hearts of the Children of Men, and how it did reprove for Evil, and minister Peace and Comfort to the Soul in its Obedience and Well-doing; or, as near as he could, come to the Substance of this in their own Language. William Penn much pressed the Matter upon the Interpreter to do his best, in any Terms, that might reach their Capacities, and Answer the End intended: But the Interpreter would not, either by reason, as he alledged, of Want of Terms, or his Unwillingness to meddle in religious Matters, which I know not, but I rather think the latter was the main Reason which obstructed him; therefore we found nothing was like to be done according to our Desires in this Matter, as the Interpreter was but a dark Man, and, as William Penn said, a wrong Man for our present Purpose.
William Penn said, he understood they owned a superior Power, and asked the Interpreter, What their Notion was of God in their own Way? The Interpreter shewed, by making several Circles on the Ground with his Staff, till he reduced the last into a small Circumference, and placed, as he said, by way of Representation, the great Man (as they termed him) in the middle Circle, so that he could see over all the other Circles, which included all the Earth. And we querying, What they owned as to Eternity, or a future State? The Interpreter said, they believed when such died as were guilty of Theft, [Page 127] These, Swearing, Lying, Whoring, Murder, &c. they went into a very cold Country, where they had neither good [...]at Venison, nor Match Coats, which is what they use instead of Cloaths to cover them withal, being of one piece in the form of a Blanket or Bed-covering: But those who died clear of the aforesaid Sins, go into a fine warm Country, where they had go [...]d [...]at Venison and good Match Coats, Things much valued by these Natives. I thought, inasmuch as these poor Creatures had not the Knowledge of God by the Scriptures, as we have who are called Christians, but what Knowledge they had of the supreme Being must be by an inward Sensation, or by contemplating upon the Works of God in the Creation, or probably from some Tradition handed down from Father to Son, by which it appears, they acknowledge a future State of Rewards and Punishments; the former of which they express by Warmth, good Clothing and Food, and the latter by Nakedness, giving Hunger and piercing Cold. I have often thought and said, when I was amongst them, that generally my Spirit was very easy, and I did not feel that Power of Darkness to oppress me, as I had done in many Places among the People called Christians.
After William Penn and they had express'd their Satisfaction, both for themselves and their People, in keeping all their former Articles unviolated, and agreed that if any particular Differences did happen amongst any of their People, they should not be an Occasion of fomenting or creating any War between William Penn's People and the Indians, but Justice [Page 128] should be done in all such Cases, that all Animosities: might be prevented on all Sides for ever; they went out of the House into an open Place, not far from it, to perform their Contico or Worship, which was done thus, First, they made a small Fire, and the Men without the Women sat down about it in a Ring, and whatsoever Object they severally fixed their Eyes on, I did not see them move them in all that Part of their Worship, while they sang a very melodious Hymn, which affected and tendered the Hearts of many who were Spectators: When they had thus done, they began (as I suppose is their usual manner) to beat upon the Ground with little Sticks, or make some Motion with something in their Hands, and pause a little, till one of the elder Sort sets forth his Hymn, and that being followed by the Company for a few Minutes, and then a Pause and then, the like was done by another, and so by a third, and followed by the Company, as at the first, which seemed exceedingly to affect them and others. Having done, they rose up and danced a little about the Fire, and parted with some Shouting like a Triumph or Rejoicing.
I leave Pensbury, but intend, before I leave the Indians, to say something more concerning that People, which I met with near Caleb Pusy's House in Pennsylvania, viz. I being walking in the Wood, espied several Wigwams or Houses of the Indians, and drew towards them, but could not converse with them; but looking over them in the Love of God. I found it to be my Wav [...] as I apprehended, to look for an Interpreter and go to them again [Page 129] Which I did; and when I came to them, and signified that I was come from a far Country, with a Message from the great Man above (as they call God) and my Message was to endeavour to perswade them, that they should not be Drunkards, nor steal, nor kill one another, nor fight, nor commit Adultery, nor put away their Wives, especially for small Faults, which (as I understood) is usual with them to do for if they did those Things, the great and good Man above would be angry with them, and would not Prosper them, but bring Trouble on them, but if they more careful to refrain these Evils (before mentioned) then would God love them, and prosper them, and speak Peace to them, or very near these Words. And when the Interpreter expressed these Things to them in their own Language, they wept, and Tears ran down their naked Bodies, and they smote their Hands upon their Breasts, and I perceived said something to the Interpreter; I asked what they said? He told me they said, all that I had delivered to them was good, and except the great Man had sent me, I could not have told them those Things. I desired the Interpreter to ask them, how they knew what I had said to them was good? they reply'd, and smote their Hands on their Breasts, the good Man here (meaning in their Hearts) told them what I had said was all good. They manifested much Love to me in their Way, and I believe the Love of God is to them, and all People, in the Day of their Visitation.
Having left them, I came to a Friend's House in the lower Part of Pennsylvania, who was in the Office at a Justice of Peace, and had been convinced not [Page 130] long before by Thomas Story: When I came into the House, the Man's Wife was very uneasy and called me a Deceiver, and wrung her Hands and said, Woe is me, I am undone, my Husband is deceived; and what more Deceivers come? Oh how she lamented. I was somewhat struck with the Passion the poor Woman was in, however, I said little but sat down, and after some time it rose in my Mind to ask her, In what her Husband was deceived, was he, since be came amongst us, any worse Husband to her? if he was, it was a bad Sign; or was he a worse Father to his Children? or, any worse Neighbour? or in any particular Thing which she could name, changed from better to worse, since he was convinced of the Truth? if not, she had no great Reason to complain: If he had turned Drunkard, Whoremonger, Railer, Fighter, or Become a vicious Man, she would have had Reason to complain; but she honestly owned, she had nothing to charge him with. He sat by me and heard all our Discourse, but said nothing. I told her, she had made a lamentable Outcry about her Husband's being deceived, but had not convinced me of any Cause that she had received from her Husband for her [...]ore Complaint.
Being weary, having rid a great way that Day, I with my Companion Richard Orm took leave of her Husband and went to our Rest, and saw him no more till the next Day in the Evening, and when he came, I asked him, For what Reason he left us so long, as he knew how uneasy his Wife was about us, and that we had a great want of him? He said, he had been giving Notice of the Meeting twenty Miles one way, and two Men given Notice as far, each Man his way; that was Six-score Miles in and out.
[Page 131] Our Landlady, against we rose in the Morning, had got another Woman, a Justice's Wife, to help her to dispute with us, and overthrow us, as she hoped, but in vain, for Truth proved too hard for them; although the other Woman charged high in the Morning, and said, we were no Christians. I said, it was easier to charge than to prove; how do you prove it? Because, said they, you deny the precious Ordinance of Jesus Christ. I asked. if they could prove it to be such? They said, they did not question but they could. I said, they should do it from plain Texts of Scripture, verbatim as it lies, without any Infere [...]s Consequences, or Comments upon the Places the [...] upon; and they agreed to it. But, in Ca [...] [...] them, they should fail and not prove (as [...]) that Ordinance to be so appoint [...]d by Christ, [...] then they would allow us to be Christians, notwithstanding what they had charged to the contrary; and they said, they would.
I then repeated all the Preliminaries, and asked them, if they would agree to each particular? they said, they would. I desired Richard Orm to mind them, and imprint them as much as might be in his Memory, for it was like enough we should have O [...]sion to call them in Question before we had done, which came to pass not long after we began; they urged the 28th of Matthew in defence of Water Baptism, where Christ said to his Disciples, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all Things whatsoever I have commanded you: And so I am with you [Page 132] alway, even with the End of the World. Water not being mention'd the Disputants were at a stand, and said it must be implied: I shewed them, that by their Agreement to the Preliminaries, there were to be no Inferences, but plain Scripture. I told them, it was an unreasonable Thing to undertake to unchristian a great Body of religious People by a few Inferences, which might be true, or not true. Now when we had tagg'd at it, and searched the New Testament a great while, they could not find what they desir'd, although they urged what Peter said in a certain Case, Who can forbid Water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the holy Ghost as well as we? I shewed them, that there was a great Disparity between a Servant's Question, and a Master's Command. When they were even weary with searching, and could not find a positive Ordination by Christ for Water-Baptism, they gave it over, and I asked them, If they had not fallen short of the Proof of what they had so boldly charged upon us in the Morning? My Landlady confessed, they had fallen short of their Expectation; but the other was in the Mind, as she said, that it might be proved: I told her, she would not prove it from any plain Text of Scripture.
My passionate Landlady became more meek and friendly, and received the Truth in the Love of it: We had a good Meeting the next Day, and she said, If I would stay that Night, I should be as welcome as her own Children; but if not, she blest the Lord for my. Company, and the Good she had already received by me, and parted with me in much Brokenness of Heart; and I heard she lived and died in good Unity with [Page 133] Friends. But oh, how glad was her Husband to see that great and sudden Change wrought in her! it was the Lord's Doings; to him be the Praise now and for ever, for he alone is worthy.
I had many comfortable Meetings in my Travels through these Provinces, and good Service. We were at a Yearly-meeting at Tredhaven in Mary [...]and upon the Eastern Shore, to which Meeting for Worship came with William Penn, Lord Baltimore and his Lady, with their Retinue, but it was late when they came, and the Strength and Glory of the heavenly Power of the Lord was going off from the Meeting; so the Lady was much disappointed, as Understood by William Penn, for she told him, She did not want to hear him, and such as he, for he was a Scholar and a wife Man, and she did not question but he could preach; but she wanted to bear some of our Mechanicks preach, as Husbandmen, Shoe-makers, and such like Rusticks; for she thought they could not preach to any Purpose. William Penn told her, some of bese were rather the best Preachers we had amongst us or near these Words. I was a little in their Company, and I thought the Lady to be a notable, wit, and withal a courteously carriaged Woman. I was also in Company with the Governor of Virginia at our Friend Richard John's House, upon the Wast Cliffs, in Maryland, for we both lodged there one Night, and I heard that he had been studious in a Book against Friends, called the Snake, and Friends greatly desired he might have the Answer called the Switch, but knew not how to be so free with him as to offer it to him I told Friends. I [Page 134] would endeavour to make way for it. Altho' he had seemed to be a Man of few Words, yet at a suitable Interval I said to him, I had heard that he had seen a Back called the Snake in the Grass; he confess'd he had, I desired he would accept of the Answer, and he as studious in it as he had been in the Snake, which he promised he would, and took the Book.
There happen'd a Passage worthy of Note, either in this or the preceeding Governor's Time in Virginia, as I was credibly informed which was thus; The Governor wanted a Cooper to mend his Wirt, Syder and Ale Casks, and some told him there was a Workman near, but he was a Quaker; he said, if he was a Workman, he made no Matter what to profese'd: so the Quaker, such as he was, was [...] for, and came with his Hat under his Arm: The Governor was somewhat at a stand to see the Man come in after that Manner, and asked, If he was the Cooper he had sent for? He said, Yes. Well, [...]aid the Governor, are not you a Quaker? Yes, repied the Man, I am so called, but I have not been faithful, He then asked, How long have you been called a Quaker? The poor Man said, About twenty Years. [...]as for you, poor Man, said the Governor, I am pray for you.
By this we may clearly see, that such who walk most up to what they profess, are in most Esteem among the more thinking and religious People; and the unfaithful and loose libertine Professors of the Truth are slighted, and I believe will be more and more cast out as the unsavory Salt, which is good [Page 135] for nought in Religion, and is indeed trodden under the Feet of Men; for a great Part of the Men in the World have such an Understanding as to know what we profess, and also what we should do and be in many Things; let us therefore walk wisely before all, and not be an Occasion of stumbling, nor give Offence either to Jew or Gentile, nor to the Church of God, that so we may indeed be as a City set upon an Hill, which cannot be bid; nay, that may not desire to be hid, but rather that the Inhabitants of the Earth might see our good Works, and have an Occasion from thence administred, to glorify the Father which is in Heaven.
I having it on my Mind to visit a Meeting up the River called Perquimus, on the West Side of the great River Choptank, and I being on the East Side, Henry Hosier and some more Friends set forward with me in a small Boat, not in good Condition but crazy, with only one small Sail: We set out, as we thought, in good time to reach our desired Port, but when we were upon the great River (as I remember 'tis ten Miles over the shortest way, but the manner of our crossing it made it more) the Wind veered much against us, being then within about four Points of our Course, and it rained hard, and was very dark, so that we could scarce see one another, and the Water broke so into the Boat; that it was most of one Man's Work to heave it out, and all our Company were discouraged, and most of them Very Sea-sick; Henry Hosier, of whom I had the most Hopes for Help, said, that he could not steer the Boat any longer. What by the extream Darkness, [Page 136] the Roughness of the Waves, Boisterousness of the Wind, and hard Rain, I, unwell as I was, was obliged to undertake the steering of the Boat, and not without some Conflicts of Mind, not having any Certainty, from any outward Rule, what Way we went; having no Fire, and the Boat being open, we could not have any Light to see our Compass, but my Faith was in the Lord, that he would bring us to shore; and I kept the Boat as near the Wind as she would fail, and told my poor sick and helpless Company, I believed that we should not perish, although we might he miss of our Port: But the like imminent Danger, I think, I was never in before upon any Water; but renowned over all be the great Name of the Lord for ever, we put into the Mouth of our desired River Perquimus, as tho' we had seen it in the Day, or steer'd by a Compass, neither of which we had the Benefit of for several Hours.
Here we went ashore and made a great Fire under the River's Cliff, and about Midnight the Moon rose, and it clear'd up and froze, and was very cold▪ My Companions falling asleep, I turned them over, and pulled them from the Fire as it increased, and put them nearer as it failed, but could not keep them awake; I sought Logs of Wood, and carried them to and minded the Fire, which was Work enough for the remaining Part of the Night; but Morning being come, we got into our cold icy Boat and sailed away towards the Meeting. When we were come among Friends, Notice was given of a Stranger being there, and heavenly and sweet Meeting it was, so that we though we had a good Reward [Page 137] for all our Trouble, blessed be the Name of the Lord now and for ever, for he is worthy: Although he may see good to try us, sometimes one way and sometimes another, how should we know that we have any Faith, if it be not tried? How shall we know that we have any true Love to God, if it never be proved? The Trial of the true Believers Faith is more precious than Gold. The excellent Sayings of Job, came into my Mind, Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left Hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: He hideth himself on the right Hand, that I cannot see him, Job xxiii. 8, 9. And then in Verse the 10th, he, like a Man in the true Faith, saith, The Lord knoweth the Way that I take; and when he has tried me, I shall come forth as Gold: And the more vehement that the Fire is, the more it destroys the Dross, and the more pure and weighty the Gold is, which hath past through the most severe Fires. Read thou, and understand this that canst.
I had a Meeting when in Virginia, at a Friend's House whose Name was Matthew Jordan, and something which I said in the Meeting, somewhat offended a young Woman a Presbyterian, and not having, as she said, a suitable Opportunity while I was there, to discourse with me, being busy in her Master's Affairs, (for she was the Friend's Housekeeper) she desired Liberty of her Master to go to the next Meeting, that there she might ease her Mind to me about the Offence I had given her in the first Meeting: (it was something about Election [Page 138] and they told me what it was, but not Writing it down, it went from me) and accordingly she came to the Meeting, where the Lord's mighty Power broke in upon us, to the tendring of many Hearts, to Friends mutual Satisfaction, and it proved a good Day to the aforesaid young Woman; her Heart was as if it had melted within her, and she shed many Tears, and I am Satisfied went from the Meeting in Fear and in great Joy; in Fear, how to walk as not to offend Christ the Elect, which before she could talk of, but now she had met with, and he had opened her State to her: And Joy, that she had met with the Messiah, the Elect of the Father, his choice and beloved Son; so that she could now say, Where are the Wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the Disputer of this World? All her brisk talkative Qualities were swallowed up in the feeling of the internal, enlightning Presence of Christ.
When she returned to her Master's (before mentioned) he asked her, If she had got Satisfaction? meaning, Had she had any Discourse with me and was satisfied? She replied, She satisfied. Some Time after I met with her in Philadelphia, plain and Truth-like, but knew not who she was at the first. The Manner of the Working of the Truth is to humble the Creature, and bring it into Contrition. Tenderness, and Fear, with true Self-denial.
I come now to mention something that happened in my going over James's River, towards a Yearly-meeting in Virginia: Alighting at an [...] by the River-side, where we refreshed ourselves there was a poor little Child cried so exceedingly, that I was [Page 139] uneasy to hear it, and asked the Mother, what was the matter? She said, it had cried most of the Time since it was born, and they were almost off their Feet with it, or to that effect. I told her, I believed I could give the Child something which would do good, and she readily agreed to it, and I gave it a little of something then, and order'd her to give it twice more in four or five Days time: But when I returned, the Child was better, and oh! how glad the poor Woman was to see me, and spoke more in my Commendations than was to my Satisfaction, and was kind to Friends afterward for my Sake.
Now we came to ferry over the River, being, as I remember, five Horses and nine People; there was Jane Pleasant a publick Friend, and her Manservant who rid before her upon a great Horse, and high in Flesh, and about the Midst of the River, it being two Miles over, he rose upon his hind Feet, and slung himself upon the Edge or Gunnel of the Boat, half into the River; the Fall of the Horse, and the Motion of the other Horses thereupon, caused the Boat to make such Sallies that it took in Water, and was very likely to sink: But before he could have Time to rise again, or to make any more Springs, I took several young Men by the Shoulders, and flung them upon his Neck to keep him down, and told them as fast as I could, why I did so. Now I had to deal with the Ferry-man, who was about to strip for swimming, and said we should all he drowned; but for his Part he could swim; and was about to leap into the River, for, he said, the Boat would either break or sink. I told him. It will [Page 140] soon enough for him to swim, when he saw the Boat either break or sink, and it he would not row, then I would; With much Intreaty he took the Oar again and rowed us to the Shore. But in our imminent Danger I looked over my tender Friends, (for so they appeared to me) and thought in my Heart what a Pity it would be, it all these were drowned! yet the Thought of my own drowning never enter'd my Mind, until I was got over the River, which was a Mercy to me, and a great Means to keep out Disorder and Confusion, which commonly attend sudden Surprises and Frights, or else they make People dead-hearted and almost senseless.
As I had now an Occasion to observe, as well as in some imminent Dangers I had seen before, where I happened to be, I find it an excellent Thing to be as much as we can, always ready, and by being frequently thinking upon Death, it is not so surprizing when it does come: This is a great Point of true Wisdom, to number our Days so, as to remember our latter End. The want of thus contemplating and truly thinking on what Preparation we are in to look Death in the Face, and to appear before the great Judge of both Quick and Dead, was the Cause of the Complaint, Oh! that my People were wise that they understood this, that they would consider their latter End. The great Remisness of such Considerations among People, bespeaks Folly and great Insensibility, and that the Heart is hardened through an Habit of sinning; oh! that I might prevail with the Children of Men to awake. Arise, you that sleep in Sin, and are at ease therein, that you may come [Page 141] to hear inwardly the Call of the Son of God, that your Souls may not only live here to serve God, but also may live eternally in Bliss with him is the Desire of my Soul for the whole Bulk of Mankind; for my Life has often appear'd not dear to me, in Comparison of the saving of the Souls of the Children of Men.
I have often thought of Moses, how far he went for saving of Israel, and how far Paul went for the saving of his Kinsfolk after the Flesh; it was a great Demonstration, that these great and good Men had great Faith and Interest in the Lord, and also a very great Love to his People; and such whose Eyes are truly opened, cannot but see it is the Love of God, and Love to the Souls of Men, that constrains us thus to take our Lives as in our Hands, and labour under many weary Steps, and many Perils by Sea and by Land, and in the Wilderness, Cold, and sometimes in Tumults and Noises, sometimes in Watchings and Fastings, that we have been sometimes Spectacles to Men; but the Lord hath given us Faith and Patience to bear and overcome all, as we have singly stood in his heavenly Counsel, and been truly devoted to his Will in all Things.
It may not be amiss to mention a particular thing which happened to me before I left Long-Island, viz. Knowing that my Landlady, Samuel Bowne's Wife, had a very sore Breast, by which she had much Trouble, and had no less than five Tents in it, and she being a sensible and a serviceable Woman, something came with a Concern upon my Mind to administer unto her Breast, with a Belief it would heal [Page 142] her: I reason'd about it until I had got one Foot into the Stirrup for mounting my Horse, but I grew uneasy for being dilatory in doing that which came into my Mind; so I went in again and said, Mary, I am come back to advise thee what thou shouldst do, by which, I believe thou wilt be healed, although I cannot stay to see it done. I believe, said she, and intend to follow thy Advice; but asked, what would become of all those Tents? I told her, the Poultice would draw them all out, and give her Ease; and accordingly I heard it did, for she slept twelve Hours immediately after the Time of the Application, and when she awoke the Tents were all drawn out, and she had little further Trouble with it: So it is good to mind Truth and the Workings of it in all Things. I met with the great Doctor (as he was esteemed) who had it under hand, and he said I was a bold Fellow: I said, it proved well. He Answered, it was well for me it did.
Something more which I have before omitted occurs to my Memory: When I was in that Part of Virginia towards North-Carolina, to visit Friends, a very great Mist arose, and we went wrong, until the Guides were so far lost, that they confest, they knew not East from West nor on which Hand we had left the Road, although it was in the fore Part of the Day, but neither Wind or Sun to be felt or seen; then I told them, I would try what I could do, if they did but know what Quarter we should go to: They said, we should go towards the South; then I brought out my little Compass which I had made before I left England, and took it in my Hand and [Page 143] steer'd by it, till we all came into the Road; for that inward Sense I had, did persuade me, that we were to the Westward of the Road, so leaning a little to the Eastward of the South Point, we came right as before, and when so, the Guides much rejoiced, and said, I was fitter to be Guide in a Wilderness Country than they. My Compass was not so big as a Tailor's Thimble, which had often been of Use to me, and others with me.
Now the Time came on for my leaving all my near and dear Friends in th [...]se Parts, and I embark'd for the Islands the Sixth of the Ninth Month 1702, with my Companion James Bates, on board of a Sloop, Samuel Salter Master, for Barbadoes, and we put into Bermudas in our way: Soon after we landed, being on the 21st of the same Month, we were sent for by Governor Bennett to come before him, and being near his Door, a Man came and clapt me on the Shoulder, as we were walking on our way, and said roughly to us, You must go before the Governor, and seem'd to hasten us: I replied meekly, I am willing to go as fast as I can, but I have been very Sea-sick, and can go but weakly: The man fell from his Roughness, and bid us take Time, and carried himself very civily to us, and put us by a Man who was keeping Centry at the Governor's Door with his Musket on his Arm, and when we were come into a large Room the Man left us, and we staying a while, I began to reason in myself, What if the Governor should be a rigid Man and be severe to us, and either confine or punish us? But I said in my Heart, Lord, thou that knowest all Things, knowest [Page 144] that I have not only offered up my Liberty, but Life also, for thy Name and Gospel's sake; and immediately the Fear and Reasonings about human Power was taken away from me.
I being not well, and weary with walking from the Ship, sat down to rest myself unbidden, when there came a friendly well carriaged young Woman, who I supposed to be a Servant, and spoke kindly to us; I desired her to do as much for us as to give us something that was small to drink, for we were very thirsty and had been much out of Health, and were not well recovered since we came from the Sea, having had rough Weather: She brought us Wine and Water, and a Thing to mix them in; so taking most of a Glass of Water, and a very little Wine poured into it, I drank and was very well refreshed. By this Time she Governor called us into an upper Room, and as I came near to the Top of the Stairs, going but faintly, for Reasons before given, the Governor put forth his Hand and reached to take hold of mine, and like a tender Father drew me up, and led me along towards a great Window, and stood and looked on me and said, He believed he knew what I was, and my Business too, I reply'd, it might be so, and asked, if he was the Governor of that Place? He said he was, and bowed his Head. I then spoke to him in the Love of God and said. Thy Countenance bespeaks Moderation, and the Apostle said, Let your Moderation appear to all Men, for the Lord is at hand; and it was with me to say to him, The Lord of Heaven and Earth bless thee and all thine? He bade us sit down, and gave us each a Glass of Wine, [Page 145] and enquired from whence we came? I told him my Home was in Old England, but it was long since I was there; my Companion's was in Virginia, He wanting to know the Affairs in Europe, I told him, There was a Merchant belonging to the same Ship that we did, who was lately come from Europe, and I thought was a Man of Parts and Memory, and well versed in the Affairs of those Parts of the World, and when we came into this Place he was with us: The Governor then sent for him, and when he came, he answered his Expectation in resolving all or most of his Questions, for the Knowledge of the News appear'd to me to be the young Man's Talent. Having done with and dismiss'd him, he said, he must now have some Discourse with us: Then rose up all the great Men who were with the Governor, to make way that I might come near him. I said, If it was the Governor's Mind, I had rather sit where I was, for I sat well in the Air, and that suited well with my present Weakness: So he bade them all sit down, and they did so.
Now, said he, I want to know the Reasons why you, as a People, where you live, do not assist the King and Country with Men and Arms, for their and your own Defence and Safety, against all that may attempt or endeavour your Hurt? I replied, The most convincing Reasons I have to offer to the Governor are, We have neither Precept nor Example from Christ, or his Apostles, to use the Sword to hurt one another withal. No, said he, what then means tha [...] Saying of our Saviours, when he bade him that had not a Sword, sell his Cloak or Coat and buy one? I replied, One of his [Page 146] Disciples answered and said, Lord, here are two: Christ said, It is enough. Now how two Swords can be enough is answer for a general Precept, I have the Governor and all these Men to judge. So after a little Pause he said, In case you was assaulted by Robbers that would break your House, and take what they could get from you; or upon the Highway, and would take your Purse or Horse, what would you do in that Case? I replied, I could not directly answer what I should do in such a Case, because through the Lords Mercy I was never yet so assaulted; but it appears most likely, that I should endeavour to keep my House from being broken up, and yet withal be tender of Men's Lives: And as to the other Assault, inasmuch as it is well known I do not provide any outward Weapon for my Defence, neither Sword, Pistol nor any other such like Weapon, therefore I must rely upon the Lord [...] Protection and Help, who is able to rescue me out of the Hands of all such ungodly Men; or if he does not, I must endeavour to bear what the Lord suffers such to do with me. The Governor said, You say well, for inasmuch as you have not provided any thing for your Defence, you have nothing to fly to but the Lord; you say very well; and said, he hoped what he had offer'd had not given any Offence. I replied, It was so far from that, we were glad he was so free with us, yet if he pleas'd to dismiss us, we should be willing to be going, for Night come on. He said, There were some of our Friends would be glad to see us: I replied, I understood there were some further on the Island that did own us, but how much they were of us I could not tell, for I had not seen any of them. He asked, whether we had a mind to go by Water [Page 147] or by Land, for he had a Boat, and a couple of Hands should carry us where we would; or if we had a Desire to ride, he had two Horses, we might take them and keep them as long as we staid upon the Island. I endeavoured to persuade him to let us go without troubling himself any further, for I was sensible of his good Will and Love to us, and having his Countenance, was more than we expected, and as much as we desir'd. He still urging to I know after what Manner we would choose to go? I told him, I was very sensible of his Generosity to us who were Strangers, and if he would be easy and let us pass, we had wherewithal to defray our necessary Charges either by Water or Land, as would answer best with our Conveniency. He press'd upon us to accept of his Offer, for he said, he did not do it in Complement to us: Then seeing no way but to accept of his generous Offer, I said, Riding at present would be much more acceptable to me, considering how I had been lately fatigued at Sea, of which I was not yet well. He immediately gave Orders for the Horses to be brought to the Door, which being done, and we having Notice thereof, I rose up and made an Offer to go, and the Governor likewise rose up and came and took me by the Hand, and so we went down the large Stairs into the great Room where we first entered in the Lord's Dread and holy Fear. Read this thou that canst, and withal learn to understand, here I had resign'd my Life and all to the Lord who gave it, and my Life at that time, as at many other times, was not dear to me for Christ's sake; and being thus resigned, I felt the [Page 148] Love of God, and a Measure of that Life was manifest, in which I had Dominion over Men, Bonds, and over Death and the Powers of Darkness, blessed be the Lord for ever.
Now coming to take Horse, I looked out at the Door and saw two Horses, and a Man holding them beyond the Pavement, and the Centry as before in the Street, and the Horse next the Door, which I supposed I was to ride on, had a Saddle on the Back of it set about with three Rows of shining Silver Lace, I thought about two Inches broad each: The Governor holding me by the Hand and looking in my Face, its not unlikely but he might think, is I used to say, I looked very sheepishly at it. He said to me, I am apt to think you are not used to ride upon such a Saddle as this; I told him, if he could let me have one more like myself (plain) without much Trouble, I should like it the better, but if not, I could ride on it, I thought without much Straitness, in case of Necessity. He answered, he could not, for Horses and Saddles too were scarce on that Island, for the one was that which he rode on, and the other was for his Man; but he said, he would tell me how to prevent all this: If, said he, you get over the Inlet of Water, though he question'd it, because the Wind blew very strong in the Mouth or Inlet of the River; but, he said, he spoke not this to hinder our taking his Horses; but if we get over, he said we should come to Richard Stafford's an old Judge of Life and Death, and might ask there for the Cover for his Saddle, which ties on with little Straps at each Corner, and hides all this, and then it will be [Page 149] like yourself; but if the Ferry-man, says he, cannot carry the Horses over, what Man soever you meet, white or black, if capable, tell him he must bring me my Horses, he dares do no other but bring them; and be sure you take no further Thought for them: And if we met with any thing in his Liberty that might trouble us, let him but know and he would help it, if it lay in his Power; and so with his Blessing on us, we took leave of him and came to the Water side, but could not get the Horses over, therefore sent them back again, and intended to have staid at the Ferry-house all Night, but the Boat was about going over as we lighted; and Notice being got some way or other to the Judge's Ear, that there were two Strangers on the other Side of the Water, he had sent a Boat and a couple of Men for us, who said we must go, for the Judge said, he could not sleep until we came; whatsoever the Matter is, we know not, said they: So we went, after asking if they at the Ferry-house had been at any Cost or Trouble on our Account in providing Supper, for as yet we had not eaten any thing since we landed; the People said no, they had not done any thing which we should pay for: It grew dark and very stormy, and the Sea broke over the Boat, so that some of us were forced to hold our Coat Laps one to touch another on the Weather Side, to keep out the Breakers of the Waves, that they might not fill the Boat, and we came safe over to the Judge's House, and no sooner got into the Passage but his friendly Wife met us, and asked us, If we were the Strangers her Husband had sent for? I said, We are [Page 150] Strangers. She bid us follow her to the Judge, and we did so, When we came to him he rose up, and took the Candle in his Hand and said, Are you the Strangers that I have sent for? I said, Who [...] mayst expect I know not, but we are Strangers. When he had looked well in my Face, he set down the Candle and said, What a Mercy is this, that the Lord should send Men from I know not where, in his Love to visit me! and took me in his Arms and kissed me; and I said to him, The Lord of Heaven and Earth bless thee; and we shed many Tears and wept together.
As I entered the House, I felt, the Love of God, and his Glory, I thought, shore in and fill'd every Room as I passed through them, and I said, Peace be to this Place, and I felt it was so. He required of our Travels, and from whence we came, of which we gave him a brief Account; he also asked if I knew any thing of the Family of Staffords at Laborn, near Haverford west, in South Wales? I told him all I knew about them, both of the Dead and of the Living; with which he was pleased, and said, He had not heard of them many Years, and that Family were his near Kindred.
Now as the Judge was somewhat troubled with the [...], I found his usual Bed-time drew near, and I made an Offer to go away l [...]ft I should discommode him, yet he appeared unwilling to part with us, but considering his own Ailments and our early Rising in the Morning, he at length consented: But before we parted, his Wife asked leave of him to go with us on the Morrow to the Meeting, to [Page 151] which he readily assented, if he was not worse of his Distemper, and then ordered how we should ride, and which Negro should go, not only to help his Wife but us also, and take our Horses when there was Occasion, and do any thing he could for us; and indeed so he did, and appeared to me to run on his Feet without much Trouble, being a lively young Man.
I omitted before, that the Judge asked, If we had seen the Governor, and if he was kind to us? I told him he was very friendly to us, and said, If we met with any Trouble in his Liberty that he could help us in, only let him know and he would right us. The Judge said, It was very well, and he was glad of it. I perceived the Judge was rather a Moderator of the Governor, he being an ancient wise Man, and had lived long as a Judge upon the Island, and understood (it is like) more fully the State of Things there than the Governor could be capable of, he being but a young Man, altho' he appeared to be a wise Man, and, as William Penn said, came of an ancient and honourable Family in England. which he knew very well, whose Name was Bennett. Afterwards I told William Penn how it had fared with us on that Island, and especially the Kindness of the two chief Men in Power there, and William Penn wept, and said, He had not heard any Account of this Nature, that he had been so much affected with, as he remembred these many Years.
Now we left the Judge until the Morning, and got some small Refreshment, it being late, and I had been faint for several Hours for want of eating, [Page 152] but the Lord's heavenly Power bore me up over all, so that at Times I felt no want of any thing; Oh! Renowned over all be the Name of the mighty God, now and for ever. We went to Bed, and when Morning came, I with my Companion were stirring early, having eight Miles to the Meeting, and it being in the latter End of the Ninth Month, we were willing to be in such Time, that we might give some Notice to the People. I was walking in our Lodging Room early, and the Judge's Wife came to the Door and asked, if she might speak with us? I said she might; then she came in and said, She had a Message from her Husband to us; I queried, what it was? She said, He desired we would come and pray for him before we went away. I desired she would favour us so much as to lay before her Husband something which I had to say, and she promised she would: Well then, tell the Judge, that if he will suffer us to come into his Room, and sit down and wait upon the Lord, as our Manner is in such a Case as this, if it please the Lord to move us by his holy Spirit to pray we may; but if not, let not the Judge take it amiss, for we are willing to be at the Lord's disposing in all Things. She went, and I believe, as she said, laid the Matter before him as I had deliver'd it to her; for she was a Woman of a good Understanding, and came back again to us in a very little Time: I asked, what the Judge said? She replied, he said, Let the Men take their own Way, and whether they pray for me or not, I believe they are Men of God: So after some little respite, we being brought to the Judge's Bed-side, sat down and [Page 153] waited upon the Lord, who was pleased in his Love and by his mighty Power to break in upon us, and also opened my Mouth in his Gift of Grace and of Supplication, in which Gift, ardent and fervent. Cries went up to the Lord of Heaven and Earth, that he would send Health and Salvation to the Judge, and also to all his Family, and to all People far and near, that all every where might repent, and come to the Knowledge of he Truth and be saved. The Judge wept aloud, and a mighty Visitation it was to his Family, and especially to himself and his tender Wife. We left the Judge in a fine Frame of Spirit, and no doubt near the Kingdom, having his Blessing and earnest Request, that when we could reach his House we would not fail to come to it, for we were very welcome; and I found and felt it so, and it was mostly our Lodgings: His Wife and Foot-page went with us to all the Meetings, except one, while we were on the Island, which was about two Weeks, in which Time we had many good Opportunities among a sober behaved and well carriaged People, amongst whom we met with, no Opposition, but had large quiet Meetings.
When we were clear, as we thought, of the Island, we went to take our solid Leaves of the Governor, acknowledging his Civility and Generosity to us Strangers, and I told him and the Judge. That they would not leant their Reward for what they had done to us, and such who should take their Lives as in their Hands, and come in the Love of God to visit these remote Parts of the World, which we durst [Page 154] not have undertaken if we had not believed it required of us by Almighty, and our Peace concerned in it, as also the Glory of God, and the Good of the Children of Men; these are the M [...]ves to those our great Undertakings: or Words to that Purpose. So we parted in much Love with these great Men, especially the Judge, with Tears on his Face, as also his tender and friendly Wife, who had been very serviceable to us in ordering Meetings and making way for us, and none like her in all the Island, that we met withal, she being given up to that Service, for the encouraging Truth and Friends in what she was capable of.
Being invited to a Friend's House to dine one Day, when we were sat down at the Table, the Woman of the House desired that one of us would say Grace; from which I took an Occasion to shew her, and several more in the Company, who appear'd not much more grown in the Truth than she, that since we had been a People, we had both believed (and accordingly practis'd) that true Prayer was not performed without the Help of the holy Spirit of God, and no Man could pray aright and acceptably without it; nor was it in Man's Power to have it when he pleased; therefore it is Man's Place to wait upon the Lord for the pouring forth of this Gift upon him, and also to know whether it be required of him to pray, so as to be heard by Man, or only to pray secretly, so as to be heard of God, as did Hannah, and many more have done; which, as they do aright, no doubt but as Christ said to his Disciples, their Father will hear them in secret, and reward them openly; or to this Effect: With which they all appeared satisfied.
[Page 155] We then went on board our Vessel, and set Sail with a fair Wind for the east End of the Island, in order to B [...]rb [...]s but soon after we got out to the Mouth of that Inlet where we arrived first the Wind came full against us, and we put in there again: and the Master, althou' not [...] one of us, said in a friendly manner, What is the matter [...]? this is al [...]g of you, Mr. Richard on [...] he was pleased to call me, altho' I o [...] shewed my Dislike to it you have something to do [...] the Island. I said, I kn [...]w not if any thing; but he seemed positive and withal said, if the Wind came fair at [...] he would call if I was willing; if not, he would [...] as long as I pleased. I said, I knew not of any thing to hinder, but he might call as soon as the Wind came fair. So we parted, only giving him an Account, that we intended to go for the Judge's House. It was late in the Evening when we got there, and the Judge was gone to Bed; but his Wife up, who lifted up her Hands with more than ordinary Surprize and much lay, and said, She was always glad to see me, but never [...] than now: I said, Why so? She than began to tell, how that since I went away, there had been a Man with the Jud [...] who had in [...]ensed him against me all that ever. [...] [...]old, and said. He knew me in England, and that I was broke, and come into these Parts to preach for a Living. I asked, what her Husband said to all that? She said, his Answer was to the Man, that he believed I was no such Person, but an honest Man; yet the Accuser seemed very positive. I said, It would be well if this Man could be brought with me to the Judge's Face, that he might be convinced, [Page 156] not only of the Man's Ignorance of us as a People, but of me in particular, and his Envy against me be made known; upon which I opened to her the Case of such Journeys and Services, how we proceeded, and how the Meetings were constituted in which we did so proceed, and from whence we had Certificates, from Monthly, Quarterly, or Meetings of Ministers to which we belonged, and from Friends in the several Provinces and Islands where we travelled, if we desired them, many of which I could shew the Judge if Time would admit; but she said, left we should be called away in hast, she craved to see some of those Certificates: I shewed her them, beginning at the first, wherein Friends of Kelk, now Bridlington Monthly-meeting in Yorkshire, to Friends in America, shewed not only their full Unity with this my present Journey, but also with my Service for the Truth, and Conversation in the same, where I had lived and travelled; and that I had settled my outward Affairs to Friends Satisfaction, under many Hands variously writ.
When this great and wise Woman saw this, she said, I was enough; but I shewed her other Certificates from divers Places, wherein Friends had signified sufficiently their Unity and Satisfaction with me. I likewise informed her, that in case any Man, not approved by us as a Minister, did take upon him to impose his Preaching upon any who were Strangers to him, such as knew him took Care to acquaint the Churches therewith, if his Intentions could be known, that no Impostor might do any Hurt: All which she admired, and said she had never [Page 157] heard so much before, neither did she think there had been such excellent Orders in the World amongst any People.
Having thus acquainted her with our Order and Discipline, and afterwards informed her of the Cause of our unexpected Return, I renewed my Proposal of having my Accuser before the Judge; she told me, she had good Place with her Husband, and would endeavour to obtain it: And accordingly, after talking with him, she let me know, that the Judge expressed his Readiness to do me any Service which lay in his Power, and was of Opinion, my Accuser durst not face either him or me in that Affair, but that if the Wind continued against us, he would try to find him out and bring him, which might be of Service; but if the Wind favoured, she thought I might be easy to go; as indeed I was, and the more so, considering that our Captain Salter, who lived near the Judge on the same Island, had shewed a great deal of Patience and good Disposition to us-ward for about two Weeks, yet would gladly be gone; so about Mid-night we were called to go on board the Ship, for the Wind was fair, if we were ready; I reply'd, we come quickly, and so we did, and took leave of all we saw of the Family, and remembered our dear Love, with grateful Acknowledgments to the Judge, for all his Civility and Kindnesses he had done to us, with Reasons why we could not see him, for he had been afflicted for some time with the Gout, and was now fallen into some Rest, and we going very early away, were not at our own Disposal.
[Page 158] I admired the Lord's good Providence in all this, and there was something of a Reach from the same watchful Providence, to order that to be put into my Certificate which did, so fully remove that Slur this Enemy would have fastened upon me, (i. e.) that I had broke in England, and could not pay my Debts, and therefore was come into these remote Parts of the World, where I was unknown, to preach for a Livelihood; but the contrary fully appear'd, that I was known and well beloved too, and had Effects to discharge any just Demand upon me, blessed be the worthy Name of the Lord, now and for ever.
Now I may lay something of our Affairs upon the Sea in this Voyage: When Captain Salter had taken us in Passengers at Philadelphia for Barbadoes, it being a time of War, and People somewhat afraid of shipping Goods, he said, he was to have two honest Quakers Passengers, and he did not fear being taken by Privateers nor Pirates. I was troubled at his Confidence in us, and told him so, and that it was much if the Lord did not suffer us to be taken, that he might see Men were not to be depended upon, but that we ought to depend upon the Lord alone for Protection and Deliverance: However, in much less time than was expected, Goods came, and we were loaded and gone. We had rough Weather before we came to Barbadoes, (I have given an Account of Bermudas) especially about the Tropick of Cancer we had very high Winds, and I was extreamly Sea-sick, and so was my Companion, and I could eat little, but was treated with remarkable Civilities by the Captain; for [Page 159] in and about that Latitude there are Fish not unlike Herrings, which fly from Wave to Wave, and by dipping their Fins or Wings in the Water, they will fly a great Way, especially when they are chased by Fishes of Prey, and almost every Morning there were of those Fishes found on the Ship's Deck; and the Captain often said, as his Manner was, Mr. Richardson these are sent for you, or for your Breakfast, and seeing it is so, I will dress them myself, for I know, said he, my Cook is so greasy you can hardly eat of his Cookery, which was very true; and therefore he would wash his Hands, and lay a clean Napkin on his Arm, and tell me he would dress me my Breakfast in the best Fashion he could. I asked him why he would put himself to so much Trouble? He said, he never waited on a Man in all his Life with so much Pleasure, and if I were going, into any Country where he was going, I should not pay any thing for my Passage; so much Respect he shewed to me.
Now it happened in the Course of this Voyage, when we were within a few Leagues of Barbadoes, one Morning early as soon as Day appear'd, he that was aloft (upon the Watch to look out, as the Manner of Mariners is, especially in the Time of Wars and Danger) espied a Ship which he and the rest of our most knowing Men suppos'd to be a Turkish Frigate, of considerable Strength; however, it was a great Vessel, and appeared to have a great, many Guns: When we first saw her, she appeared to be within Gun-shot. But oh, what a Surprize and Fright our Ship's Crew were in! I had not often seen the like. Our Vessel being deep [Page 160] loaded, although a good Sailer, was less than that which chased us, and to run for it appear'd the only way for us to escape, hauling as close to the Wind as we could to keep the Sails full; and the Vessel being stiff with its great Burthen, endured Sail well, and indeed they crowded so much Sail, that I told them I tear'd they would bring the Rigging by the board, so thus we laboured until Noon, and then our Captain had lost all his Confidence in the Quakers, and said we shall be taken, for the Ship has gain'd upon us for several Hours, and we have done what we can, and are all spent: I walked upon the Main-deck under no small Concern of Mind, and Truth fore, and I found it open in the Truth, that we should not be taken: The Captain said, binding it with some Asservations, we shall certainly be taken. I said, No, we shall not, unless by our Mismanagement. Alas! said he, you are such a Man as I never met withal; do you not see the Frigate, or Sallec-man, for that he called her, is just going to fire a Broadside at us, opening the Gun Ports, and laying the Ship broad Side upon us, and levelling at her as well as they can? And indeed our Captain, altho' he was a stout Man, yet appear'd very ghastly and dead-hearted, and said (in a Tone which bespoke both Affliction and Trouble) to me, Go into my Cabbin, or some where under the Deck, for they will fire immediately; and that where I walked I could hardly escape either the Shot or the Rigging falling upon me. I said, they will not fire; and desired him to be easy, for we should come to no Damage by that Ship. Well then, he asked what they [Page 161] should do, for the Enemy was just upon us? I said, I would peach them a Beatle or two, or more of my best Brandy, and they should take as much as might do them good; but have a Care of more, and ply away a while and you will see they will fall back, and we shall leave them. The Captain said, although there was no human Probability of escaping, yet for my Sake they would try, and to work they went. I think I never saw Men on board of any Ship work like them for some Hours, and we soon perceived we outsailed them, and by the time it began to be dark we had lest them considerably.
Now all Fire and Light was forbidden, except what could not be avoided, and all Noise, and a Council was held, to consult what Way to steer, whether the nearest or most common way for the Island, or about; for it was reasonable to conclude the Adversary would way-lay us, if he could, before we came to the Island; and the Captain said, what I said in the Case should be done: After some Deliberation I told him, I was most easy in steering the nearest Course, which we did, and saw our adversary no more.
We came to the Island next Day in much Joy, that we had escaped so imminent a Danger, but I was very ill in a Fever when I landed, which had been growing upon me for several Days, (this being the Sixth-day of the Week, and 18th of the Tenth Month) I was so poorly, that several thought I must die; but I stood resigned in the Will of God, whether to die or live. The First-day being come, I went to the Meeting, though with great Difficulty, [Page 162] being very weak, where [...] I sat under more than usual Exercise, Reasonings, and Conflicts of Spirit for some time, about my present Condition, which was weak and low, and in my own Apprehension, unlikely to be of any [...], notwithstanding all the Troubles and Hazards of the Sea and Robbers, and Other Jeopardies in coming here, I was now thus disabled and said by as useless. These Things were an Occasion to me to consider, whether I had not miss'd my Way in something or other Many particulars were brought to my Maid, whether I had discharged myself faithfully where I had been and when I looked back and took a View of my past Travels and Services in the Work of the Ministry, and Discipline of the Church, my Conduct and whole Conversation, I saw nothing but I was clear of the Blood of all [...] and well satisfied both as to the Time of my c [...]ming, as well as to the Coming [...] the Island. There appeared yet two Things in my way; First, if this Place should be my (have [...] might not watch over me with the best [...] If he had gone at the Lord's Comman, no doubt but he would have brought him back again; and Security, as I had two little Children in England, if I finished Course here, they would be left Fatherless and Motherless, And I said before the Lord, Let not my End bring Dishnour to thy great Name, nor any Blemish to the Truth which I have loved, and [...]a [...]cured for the Promotion of from my Childhood.
When I had thus, or to this Purpose appeased to the Lord, I felt great Quietness and Resignation of Mind; and as I thus sat, a Friend, well thought [Page 163] on by several, began to speak in the Meeting, and it opened in my Mind, that he was not wholly redeemed from having some Thoughts, that elementary Water had not yet ended its Service; I mean in Point of Dipping: I would have shut it out, for the Man appeared a wise, zealous Man, and I being also ether a Stranger, could not remember I had heard or his Name, yet the Matter continued, and I thought, for my own Satisfaction I might ask him the Question: If he was a right spirited Friend, he would not be hurt; if he was not, he stood in Need of Help, or at least it was high time for Friends to have a more perfect Knowledge of him. So I leave this a while, and return to the other Part of the Meeting which was very remarkable.
During my sitting, as before, under much Weakness or Body, yet quiet in Mind, the living Virtue or heavenly Power of Christ sprang up in my inward Man, like healing and suppling Oil, which so effectually helped me every way, that I could say feelingly and experimentally, Miracles are not ceased, for I was raised beyond my own Expectation, and all others who knew my weak State, to give Testimony to the glorious Coming and Manifestation of Christ in Power, Spirit, Life, Light, and Grace, for the Help, Health, and Salvation of all the Children of Men who receive, believe in, and obey his Spiritual Knocks, Reproofs, and heavenly Calls in the Soul, without any Lessening to his Humanity: Great Cause have I, with all the Living, to love, value, honor and reverence the great [Page 164] and mighty Name of him who hath helped and healed, by sending his eternal Word of living Power into our Hearts.
Returning with other Friends to my Quarters from this good Meeting (not to be forgotten by me) came the before-mentioned Friend to see me; and I having, as I told him, a Desire to speak privately with him, he reply'd, there were [...] there but his good Friends, and I might speck my Mind. I told him, what I had to say related ch [...]sly to himself, and in such a matte as he might not be willing to have it expected; but he would not hear, and said, I might speak it there I desir'd he would not take in Offence at what I had to say, for I did [...]pp [...]le it to be a Secret to all there but himself; and then I said, the matter is, When thou wast speaking in the Meeting, it founded in the Ear of my Soul as if one had said, This Man (meaning thee) is not wholly redeemed out of a Bell [...] in John's Ministration of Water, as not having done its Work. Now the matter is before thee, thou knowest whether what I receiv'd be true or false: In the first place I enquire for my own Satisfaction. His Answer, if it may be called one, was as followeth; he said, The Disciples of Christ, when they baptized with Water, knew that it was the Mind of their great Master that they should so baptize: I said, I know not that any of the Apostles did ever say so much as thou wouldst insinuate; for both by what Peter and Paul say, it appears very natural to be the Mind of Christ, only to condescend to so much as was done by the Apostles in that of Water, because [Page 165] of the Peoples Weakness; and no Question but the Jews were very much ser [...]ed in the Be [...]ef of John the Baptist's Dispensation of Water to Repentance, and a so of the Circumcision, and Purifying, and many other Things used amongst that People: Now Peter, when the Contents were grown stronger in the Faith and in the Grace of God told them, It in me the putting away the First of the F [...], but the Answer of a good Conscience [...] is God, by the R [...]ction of Jesus Christ; and Paul, Although he did once in Conde [...]ention circumcise Tim [...]hy, yet told the People at another Time, that Neither C [...] [...] cry thing, but a new [...] [...] them nothing; and he a so thanks God [...] and Ga [...]us, and the Hous [...]ld of Stephanus; befour those, Be knew not that be had [...] saw him not is [...], but to prea [...] the Gospel: And I am, as I said to the Friend of the Prophet's Mind when he said, The Elements should melt as with fevent Heat: It the Gospel Power be not this fervent Heat, I knew not what is, not what is able to melt away the Elements. But I further said, it he was a Baptist, he should deal plainly and honestly with Friends, and tell them what he was, and not preach one thing and keep such Reserves to himself, Friends admir'd, and said, they had not the least Thought of any such Thing by him; so he said, he would not fall out with me. I told him, I was as much for Peace as he was, but at the same Time I would have us to mind that we sound in the [Page 166] Faith, and Preachers of the Gospel, and not go back again into the [...] is all in compare [...] of the [...], I had good Service and great Satisfaction upon This Island, although I found Truth so low that it Might them be truly said as [...] [...] or the true Seed, [...] which is in our Apprehensions but small, and much press'd down with the many Things that are hurt [...], especially by the Love of Money, Pride, and Forgetfulness of God?
I was invited on beard a great tra [...]p at Ship, whereof one Read was Master, who remembred me when I was but young, and was traveling to or near Scarborough, he was loving to me, and several Friends who were with me, and I had and Service on board. There was also on beard a French Protestant, now a Captain of the [...] transport Solders bound for Jamaina; he lodged at John Groves's, and was a very civil Man, and [...] it I would go with Captain Read, who offered, it I was going, to carry me to [...] free he would wait on me if I was sick of asked any thing; and would gladly Have had my Company: I acknowledged both their Generosity and Civility to me, and so I took leave of them, and of the noble Captain Salter, who I have had occasion both to mention and to love, who took his solid leave of me, and wept like a Child, and said openly in the hearing of many, that he never [...] Man so well before, and tho' he did not want B [...]ss, yet for my sake be would serve my Friends What say in his Power; or near those Words.
[Page 167] I find as we live and walk in the Truth, there is an inward Witness which God hath placed in the Hearts of Men that is reachable, except in such who are arrived to a great Degree of Hardness and Insensibility, and so have [...]le Sense or Perceivance of Good, either in themselves or in others which is a deplorable State and much to be lamented. Oh what Grief of Heart and Spirit it hath been to me, to hear and see the Wickedness of some! if such Wickedness was as great a Trouble to them who acted it, as it was to me, I have thought they would soon grow weary of it.
Now I lest the Island, and embark'd on board a Ship, John Griffith Mater, bound for Bristol in old England, and went to Sea with some East-India Ships that had put in at Barbadoes, having a Ship of War or two for their Convoy. After we were got to Sea, they had so much drinking and carousing that we grew weary or staying with them, and after some Consideration, the Captain, who was a Friend, lest them and came sale to England.
In our Passage we had some rough Weather near the Tropick when I mention'd before, and the Men and Captain being much disorder'd with watching and hard Labour, as I remember, for eight and forty Hours Night and Day, a Calm ensuing, the Captain desir'd me to take his Place for his Watch, and mind the Helmsman, and see that he made straight Steerage; bat alas! he was so sleepy, it was next to impossible to keep him awake, I walked on the Deck, and had overmuch Work to mind the Compass, and the Helmsman too, for a fine [Page 168] Breeze of Wind came on, and all of a sudden a very unusual Fear fell on me, and I looked into the Sea, and beheld it appeared to turn blue, and as far as I could discern to Windward, I saw white Caps or the Water-freckle; on seeing which, through Fear, more than any great Skill, I stampt with my Foot as though I would have broke the Deck. Out came the Captain, but what with Fear and Sleep he could scarce hit the Door out of the Cabbin; but when he was got upon the Deck, he stampt, and called out all his Hands, and bid them lower and furl the Sails with Speed, or else we were all dead Men, for here is a Hurricane just upon us: And no sooner was all made snug as well as could be (as the Seamen phrase it) but the Wind blew so, that we thought it would have turn'd the Bottom of the Ship upward: The like I never saw; and, as the Captain said, we had not one Minute to spare of being cast away, according to all human Probability; and, as the Seamen term it, it was such Hurry durry thick Weather, that we could scarce see any thing a hundred Yards, which violent Weather held for about an Hour, in which time we drove by a Vessel, and were so near her, that I thought I could have slung a Stone aboard: Our Ship's Crew were fore afraid, and looked upon her to be a Robber; her Rudder was lashed or tied up, and the Men were all gone off the Deck, but our Mariners were so affrighted, that they thought they would set some sail and follow us; for no sooner were we past this Ship but the Weather grew better, and away we ran in hazard of bringing toe Masts by the board, [Page 169] but through the Divine Providence of him that is Lord over all, both Sea and Land, we escaped and camp safe into Cork in Ireland, where the Matter lived, and rode there for some time, and then weighed for Bristol, as I intended for the Yearly-meeting there.
We had rough Weather in crossing the Channel, before we came into the Severn, where our Sailors, being afraid of being prest, launched the Boat, and ran away into Cornwall, leaving out [...]ur on board to bring the Ship up the River. We saw a Pinn [...], having in it a Lieutenant with a Crew of pressed Men, to press more if they could find them, and our Master called on me, and desired I would put on my best Cloaths and come to him, and so I did, and he sat me on his right Hand: By this time up comes the Lieutenant and asked for my Men, taking me for the Master; I told him, they had launched the Long-boat and were gone, and we could not hinder them, they being the strongest Party; at which he appeared very much enraged, and seemed as though he would have struck at me. I told him calmly, he had more need pity than he angry with us, for if there should be a Gale of Wind, we were in great Danger of all perishing for want of Hands, for I shewed him what Force we had, viz. James Bates, whom I did not then call my Companion, nor John Griffith Captain, the Cabbin Boy and myself were all the Men on board. But he asked, what for a Man that was who sat beside me? I told him, he was a Man sufficiently secur'd against the Press: Then the rough Man fell, and said, I looked [Page 170] like an honest Man, and he would take my Word and not search [...] Men: So I ordered a Bott [...] of the best Liquor on [...] be br [...]ght, and then the Lieutenant and I parted very [...]endly.
I write not this as Thing I approved, but disliked; but being taken at un [...], had not time to shun at as before mention'd unless I had exposed my Friend the Master or the [...]; although I neither said not did, that I know of, any thing worse than what thou [...]st here written; I told the Captain I thought he was a great Coward, and had expos'd me to D [...] to save him [...].
Wind and Weather favouring us, we came in due time to Br [...] Yearly-meeting, where I met with William F [...]n and was truly glad to see him with many more at that place; but my Companion falling sick. I was made willing to leave him, and travelled [...] of Ireland, and a sweet [...] to [...] myself of what I had upon my Mind and came away in Peace, and in one feeling or the Love of God.
John Haydeck and I came from London together, and had Meeting [...] Yearly-meeting, where I was glad to see my Home-Friends, and to enjoy the Love of God once more with them; for this is our principal Crown and Kingdom in this World, to enjoy the favourable Countenance of the Lord, and one another in his living and internal Presence; and when I looked back upon all the Mercies and Deliverances I had received from the mighty God of Heaven and Earth, Seas, and Rivers [Page 171] of Water, whose Hand made all, and whose Eye and watchful Providence attends all, and is over all, my Soul was filled with Thanks and Praises to the great and most excellent Name of him who lives for ever, and hath helped my Soul to overcome many strong Temptation, and hath borne up my Head under many deep Afflictions and Tribulations, renowned for ever be his holy Name.
I came home the 18th of the Fourth Month 1703, and found my Children well; and now I was under a Thoughtfulness how to walk and demean myself so, as that I might be preserved near the Lord, and in due Reverence and true Fear before him; that inasmuch as I found there was something of Holiness unto the Lord imprinted or ingraven upon the fleshly Table of my Heart, that now in this Time, when I was not so particularly and immediately concerned in the like daily Travel on Truth's Account, I might not lose the Savour, Relish and Sensation of heavenly Things. Some will read me here, in this short Survey I have been taking of my present State and Thoughtfulness, that it I could not make it better, I might not make it worse, either in doing, or not doing any thing that might prove a hurt to me; for a Vessel had much better be laid by, if it can be spared, than used to its hurt. Now in this careful and watchful Frame of Mind, I have found Preservation from time to time to this Day, by retaining the Salt of the Kingdom in the Soul or the inward Man, which is of a preserving Quality, with which the Vessel is, and can only be kept tit for the Master's Use: If we lose this, the Creature [Page 172] soon grows out of Order and unfit for the Master's Use. Read and consider there Things in Time, whose thou hast the P [...]ze in thy Hard, and Time to do and receive God at the Hand of him be the Offerings of Pr [...]e and Renown, new and for ever.
Whilst I remain'd at Home as my usual Manner was, I attended First day, and Week [...], and Monthly-meetings, as also Quarterly and other Meetings for the Service of Truth and visited many Meeting up and down in the Country, and had up to the Service of Truth; but did not see it convenient (as my Children were well placed to settle or keep a Family, until my Way appeared clear to marry, which did now draw on, and after I had been near seven Years a Widower I married Anne Robinson, who descended of a substantial Family at far from Kirby- [...]side, in Yorkshire.
We had not been marrid much above two Years, before my Wise began to appear in the publick Work of the Ministry, and indeed very comfortably and acceptably to Friends, and she grew in Understanding both of the Discipline of the Church of Christ, and also in further Knowledge in the Work of the living Ministry, &c. And about that time it came upon me to visit Friends in most of the Northern Counties in England; and some small time after my Return, I had a Concern to visit Friends in several Parts of the Southern Counties, Thomas Beedal being my Companion, who grew in the [Page 173] Truth and [...]. We had many g [...] Meeting [...] and Service and great [...] Home in Peace.
New I [...] Heart the Time [...] Who and I must put [...] Meet he p [...] to one [...]other, which we [...] and never had either evil Word [...] against each other. I am fully sati [...]fied [...] Peace and true Love one with an they, and were glad when we could either one or both serve Truth and Friends: Therefore I find it on my Mind in this P [...]ce, to Insert the following Relation concerning her, viz.
A short ACCOUNT of the Life, Convincement, Qualifications, and dying Sayings of that [...] the Lord. ANNE RICHARDSON, who [...] this Life the 18th of the Twelveth Month, 17 [...], aged about Thirty three Years.
SHE was descended of an honest and considerable Family or the Rooinsons, at Hutton in the Hole in Yorkshire, and was convinced in her young Years, and received the Truth in the Love of it, and it became valuable and precious to her above all Things in this World; and through the blessed Work and Operation of the Grace and holy Spirit of Truth, she was weaned from the World's Pleasures, Vanities and Recreations, from taking [Page 174] any Delight [...] and [...] w [...]t to [...] ence [...] the [...] a [...] and Fesh [...] [...] Lan [...] [...] of [...] in being [...] Meeting, a [...] up a the Lord. We [...] dese [...] [...] gave her a large [...] of his living Power and [...] a K [...] [...] Thing that appea [...]. And affect Truth [...] every Thought [...] [...] jected [...] is a great Week, yet [...] without which there is [...] and without [...] again, there is no ent [...]ing into the Kingdom of Heaven.
After this great [...] in her, It was [...] Part of her Time, that the was much [...] the Power [...] the peaceable, meek and quiet Spir [...] of [...] and grew daily more and more in the [...] and Love of God, and was much believed of God's People, and indeed of her Relations, Neighbours and Acquaintances, [Page 175] who were [...] Persuasion, and [...] all her Ways, [...] and Interest, but [...] Peace [...] in all her [...] who ought [...] the Professors [...] against her, not even [...] Day of her Death, for the was [...] spoken well of by [...] both Friend's and [...] often been seen in to [...] me Cause, for the was a [...] and exemplary [...] and gave no Offence to [...] to the Church of Christ; [...] with such as were in [...], whether in Body [...] in her [...] and by other Means clearly [...] She was a Woman endued with great Patience, and with a quiet and serene Mind, we I qualified and fitted to her Husband's Circumstances, whose Lot it was often to be abroad in the Service of the Truth an honorable and a faithful Wife, wi [...]ing to give up her all for Christ and the Gospel's take, counting nothing in this World too near or dear to part with, for the Gory of God, and Advancement of the ever Soul, and the Good of others.
[Page 176] One Thing is remarkable and worthy of Comm [...]m [...]ration, which I insert as followeth, that others in the like Case may not barely and outwardly imitate her, but feelingly come up in her heavenly Practice and Experience, under the Influence, Light and Help of God's holy and blessed Spirit, viz. When that worthy Servant of Jesus Christ, John Bowstead, returned from London Yearly-meeting through several Counties to York, and so Home with me, not long before my Wise was taken away; and having some Discourse with her, he asked about several Things of Moment, especially about her Husband being so much from Home, she gave him this Answer; That inasmuch as she gave up her Husband cheerfully and freely to serve the Lord, and to be serviceable to the Church of Christ, she did not only sympathize and feel with him in his most adverse and low State, but partook with him in his best Enjoyments, when the Power of Truth prevailed over all its Enemies; altho' I am then far from him, yet I partake of the Spoil, or the shedding abroad of the good Things of God among his People, as my Heart goes along with the Work of the Lord, and such as are engaged in it; and in all my Husband's Afflictions I am afflicted with him: And one of my Main Concerns is, that neither I, nor any Thing in this World, may detain my Husband from doing what the Lord calls for at his Hand; for if any Thing hurt him as to the Truth, what Good can I expect of him? This John much admir'd, with the deep and weighty Reasons she gave about the Christian [Page 177] Discipline of the Church, and concerning the Ministry, the like, he said, he had not met with in all his Travels before; yet she was a Woman of few Words, and express much in a little Compass: And when she was taken away, oh! the Loss and Sorrow he expressed to me in a Letter concerning her Death.
She was very clear in her Understanding, had a penetrating and discerning Eye, a great and inward Sense of the State of a Meeting, as also of their several particular States. I cannot at present describe to the full all the hidden Virtues of this Handmaid of the Lord, but there were many visible Fruits of her virtuous Mind, that did appear to the Children of Men, some of which were these, viz. She was an affectionate and tender Mother to her Children, yet did correct them when Occasion required, without Passion, or the least Appearance of Disorder of Mind, and still had them in great Subjection; at which I often admired, and thought, surely she is come, by Workings of the holy Spirit, to a greater Dominion over her own Spirit than many who appeared to be her Equals. She was a true Christian, a loving and dutiful Child to her Parents, a good Neighbour, a faithful Wise, a loving and tenderhearted Dame over her Servants, and overcame them with Love, and was much belov'd by them, and also fear'd; they lov'd her, and were very unwilling to disoblige or offend her.
She appeared and behaved herself as became a sanctified Vessel, that was in a good Degree fitted and [Page 178] prepared for the great Master's Use, and often appeared as one than had been secretly in some Intercourse with Jesus Christ in Spirit, where his Glory had more particularly shone in and over her Soul, not only because of the Gravity and Solidity of her Countenance, but also the Tenderness, Humility and Sweetness of her Mind and Spirit, Weightiness of her Conversation, Edification of her Advice, Soundness of her Judgment, and Clearness of her Understanding, all which made her Company very acceptable while among the Living Her Heart was often fill'd with the Love of God, and early raised and enabled to speak a Word in Season unto many States and Conditions, Whether of home or abroad, in her own Family, amongst her Neighbours, or in the Church of Christ, in Testimony to Matters relating to the Worship of God, or in Matters relating to Discipline, especially in the Meetings of her own Sex, where she had a great Service, and will be greatly wanted. She had great Care upon her for the good Education of our Youth in Plainness of Habit and Language, that they might be preserved out of the Corruptions of the World in all the Parts thereof; in all which Services she will be much missed: Yet we being sensible, that her Removal is her great Gain, it helps to alleviate our Sorrow and Loss, which is great, and will not soon be forgotten by many who had the Benefit and Comfort of her good Services. Also her watchful and solid sitting in our Meetings for Worship was remarkable, [Page 179] with very little Motion that was perceivable; yet when the least Stirrings of Life in her Mind were perceived, in order to bring her forth in Testimony, the Meeting was truly glad, and the Living amongst us rejoiced at it, for her Appearance was with the Wise, and in the Language of the holy Spirit; which was a clear Demonstration that the Work was the Lord's, and by and through his Spirit and Power; all which gave her a great Place in the Minds of faithful Friends and Brethren. But she is gone in the Prime and Flower of her Age! which sets before end is a Memento unto us to shew us the Uncertainty of our Time here, and to prepare for one Certain to come, that Death may not overtake us as unawares before we are prepared for it.
I come now to the Time of her long Weakness, in which she was preserved in great Patience, Steadiness and Resignation of Mind to the Will of God, even unto the End; and she enjoyed much heavenly Comfort and Consolation in the living Presence of the Lord to her immortal Soul, so that when she was asked, Whether she thought she might recover or not? She mildly replied, She was afraid to desire to live; because, said she, I believe if it please the Lord to take me away now, it will be well with me, for I find nothing that lies as a Burden upon my spirit. At another Time she said, As to that little Testimony I have been concern'd in, this is my Comfort and Satisfaction, that I can truly say I did not kindly any strange Fire, and there are could not was in myself at the Sparks [Page 180] thereof, but what I did in that Matter was in the [...] and [...] my [...] among the [...].
Many [...] the [...]oke that were [...] to could not be rem [...]n be [...]ed; we having some Hopes of her Recover, [...] as to such a [...] what the [...] as otherwise it [...] she was heard to my [...] She [...] [...] World. I never [...] come [...] thereto be what it would [...] the [...] [...]me of her Health; and in her [...] much swallowed up in the [...] her Lord and Saviour [...] Christ, and [...] song P [...] [...] his [...] Name, and [...] as one wholly redeemed [...] this [...] whose Heart was [...] earnestly engaged in the [...] and heavenly Things. [...] be the Lord, [...] had [...] a Part in the [...] and ever such [...] [...] but she live [...] and [...] in Jesus Christ, even unto the end of her [...] here, and [...] away with [...] any Appearance [...], I believe [...] of [...], where her Soul [...] song [...] to the Lord God and the [Page 181] Lamb for ever, with all these who have overcome the World, the Beat, and false Prophet, and every Thing the Lord's Controversy is with, and who have not loved their Lives unto Death, but given up that Life they had in any wrong Thing whatsoever.
When I had drawn up the foregoing Account, and shewed it to some discreet Friends, they said, it was not [...] her Work; yet when I looked it over again, with an Intent to insert it here, I thought it looked too large; but upon more mature De [...] ration I could not find what part to omit, but it would hurt the whose Matter, therefore as I found in contained Encouragement to all tender and well-minded People, to persevere in Faithfulness to the End; Caution against Pride. Passion and indulging or sparing any wrong Thing in Church or Family; and something of Advice to several Conditions and Growths in the Church of Christ; it appeared most easy to me, not to lose any of those good Fragments which had any thing of a heavenly Savour in them, and it I have not miss'd it, there is something that has a living Relish, for without that I should soon be weary of either writing or speaking.
Not long after the Departure of my Wife, it came upon me to visit the [...]thern Parts of England, and some Part of Works, and I had good Service and great Satisfaction; I was also London, John Adam being my Companion, who was an innocent, clean spirited Man.
Again, I found it required of me to visit the [Page 182] South-west Parts of England, in the Year 1717, and I travelled through the West Part of Y [...] into Westmoreland, Lo [...]shire, Ch [...], and so on to Bristol and as far as Cornwell, and had many good Meeting; although I travelled alone, yet the Lord, in whom I put my Trust and depended upon helped me, and bore up my Head through and over all, renowned be his most honorable Name, now and for ever.
An ACCOUNT of my Visit to FRIENDS in IRELAND.
IN the Year 1722 it was renewed upon me to go into Ireland; the Thoughts of it had been long upon my Mind, but now the Time seemed to be fully come, to pay that long thought of Visit; and Joseph Bunting of Ca [...]land, being my Companion, we went from K [...]dal Yearly-meeting which was a large and good Meeting, and passed along to Whitehaven, and took shipping for D [...]blin, and staid their Half-years Meeting, which was large, and in which the living Power and Presence of the Lord was felt amongst us; exalted over all be the mighty Name of the Lord, for those and all his Mercies.
I had there many good Meetings, and also met with some hard ones (as is the Let of such who are called to this Vocation) and the best way I have found, when I met with such, is first to regard [...] Call, then to mind our dally Steps we take in that [Page 183] Vocation into which we are called, and take special Care to have along with us the Company and Counsel of him that hath so called us; this is the way fully and truly to discharge ourselves of that Trust the Lord hath reposed in us, to the mutual Comfort and Edification of the Churches of Christ, and also to the Peace and Consolation of our own Souls.
It is now with me to write the following Remarks on Ireland, which will not be remote to the State of Friends in many other Places, where there is a right, found, living Ministry preserved, and good Discipline exercised, which mostly go together: There Truth and Friends arc kept generally in good Esteem, and also thriving; but where these fail, especially the Discipline, oh! how undue Liberty, and the Fashions of the World, with many corrupting Things, creep in amongst the Professors of Truth, even unto the Reproach thereof, and Scandal of these who are so prevailed upon; and hearty Sorrow of such as know and feel the Hurt of these Things: Oh! what a Hinderance this is to the Progress of the ever blessed Truth in the Earth; and indeed it hath been in my Mind, that the main Work in this our Day is to search into the Churches, and endeavour to bring them into such a Condition, that it may once more be said, Fellow Christ as you have us for Examples; not only here and there one, but the Believers in general; so it will be, when we as a People all speak the same Thing, or that which is agreeable, as well in our Practice (so often recommended) as in Faith and Doctrine; for I have ever understand Examples to be more [Page 184] prevalent than Precept: But if any amongst Friends be grown so hardy, and so unsensible, as to prefer some foolish Fashions, which to me appear to be shameful and undecent, it is an evident Demonstration they are departed too much from the Principles and Practices of our worthy Elders in the Truth; which I fear is the Case or too many, both in that Nation and in England.
Let not any say, that I smile in the Dark, and do not tell what I mean; for some few particulars I intend to mention for the Ease of my Mind: I have seen several Changes of Fashions in forty Years time; our first Friends and Promoters of Truth came out in the Lord's Work and heavenly Power, plain, and generally continued so for their Time; but alas! how soon there appeared an Alteration, in some Men especially, when the Weight of Sufferings was over; it then began to appear, and hath from time to time continued to encrease ever since, among some professing Truth with us, not only in extravagant Wigs, with much Powder in them, but also in Cross-P [...]ts, needless Capes, and divers Cuts and Shapes in their Clea [...]bing, in Conformity to the prevailing Fashions of the Times, as well as in setting up heir Hats; all which appear to me more likely to lead those who follow them, into Egypt, or the World again, than into the heavenly Country or Canaan, which we profess to be pressing after, and hope to obtain in the End.
Now, not to let the F [...]ales pass without my Observation on them: I well remember in my younger Years, especially in great Towns and Cities, I have [Page 185] met with those that professed Truth with us, who have had but very little Coverings on their Heads, and others that have had more set up at a considerable Distance above their Foreheads, and both these Sorts perhaps bart-necked. When I have met with such I have said, What a fair or beautiful Daughter of Sion wouldst thou be, if thou wouldst put on Truth and Christ's Righteousness, and put away all these foolish Fashions? And in Families, when I have asked some Particulars, what they could say for these Dresses, and being so naked, both Neck and Shoulders, I received this Answer, or something like it, That it was good for their Health, to keep their Temples cool and to learn to be hardy, by exposing themselves thus to the Air in their Youth: But if that was the true Reason, I added this Caution to them; to consider duly, if Religion did not, yet the Modesty of their Sex should, reclaim them from it. Sometimes, with the Dislike I shewed to these Things, I advised them, that they would cover their naked Skin, and no more expose themselves to the Lust and vain Speculation of the worst, and great Trouble of their best Friends; and worst of all, to the great Hurt of themselves, and in a Manner destroying all reasonable Claim to Christ: For how can our Love to, and Faith in him be true and found, when our Practice is so remote from the Practice and Example of Christ and his Apostles, which they gave and endeavoured to inculcate? Be not conformed to this World, but he transformed by the renewing of your Mind, that [...] was pr [...] what is that good and acceptable, and perfect Will of God, Rom. xii. 2. Whose [Page 186] adorning, let it not he that outward Adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing Gold, or of putting on of Apparel: But let it be the hidden Man of the Heart, in that which is not corrup [...]ble, even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the Sight of God of great Price: For after this manner in the old Time, the holy Women also who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in Subjection unto their own Husbands, I Pet. iii. 3, 4, 5. Alas! woe is me, for the Hurt of the Daughter of Sion, when I consider with Regret from whence such are fallen, if ever restored out of the Fall.
If we as a People should follow such Examples as I have touched upon, certainly we shall become an Hissing and a Bye-word to all Nations round about, who may have heard of us, and what great Things the Lord of Hosts hath done for us since we became a People, as may, and has been seen and heard in Examples, Words and Writings from our faithful Friends and Brethren (the chief Promulgators of Truth and Righteousness) in their unwearied Labours, Faith and Sufferings for the Cause and Testimony or Jess Christ; and what also was not less remarkable, by their exemplary Lives of Plainness, Humility, Sincerity, and Self-denial, with Works of Charity.
Now, thou that readest this, beware that thou dost not let in any wrong Mind, and in that begin to judge me instead of judging thyself; for as far as I know, I have but done my Duty: See first, that thou dost thine before thou begins to judge me. Bear this Caution from thy Friend, thou that God [Page 187] hath endued with his Spirit, and wait till this holy Spirit of Truth is upon thee a Spirit of Judgment; as then a [...]dest under these Qualifications, thou art fit to fit in Judgment, and judge wrong Things in thy [...] first next in thy Family, and then in the Church of Christ; and he unwearied in thy Labours to preserve, as well as to store, what thou art capable of doing in the Church of Christ, from all wrong Ways and Things; for it Corruption and Slackness come in, and prevail over the Leader, as well as over those whom God hath raised thee up to be a Help unto, then will the Lord deal with both thee and them some other Way; for I am satisfied the Lord will turn his Hand upon his People in these Days, as he did upon Israel formerly, saying, by his prophet, He would purge away her Dress, and take away all her Tin; not only all gross Evils, but also that which in Appearance may be like Truth, but is not Truth: This was and will be the Way to restore Judges as at the first, and Counsellors as at the Beginning: Oh! then shall the Gentiles see the Righteousness, and all Kings thy Glory, said the Prophet.
Although there is great Occasion for an Amendment in many yet there is a bright and heavenly-minded Remnant in England, Ireland, and many other Parts in the World, against whom I find not any thing to press upon my Mind to complain plain of; but a Word of Encouragement springs in the Life, in the Love and good Will of God, to press and persuade you to a steady Perseverance in the true Faith, and in an exemplary and pious Life [Page 188] (I never saw more need of this than now, according to my View of the State of Things) that when the Lord the righteous Judge, who will bring every Work into Judgment, with every secret Thing, these, as before-mention'd, may be found clear of the Blood of all Men, seeing that they have warned them, and given Notice when they have seen any Danger, or an Enemy approach nigh to them.
Here is Work for such as God hath set up as Watchmen over his People, to see that those do not go on in Bye-ways, who profess Truth, and leave the Way of Truth unoccupied by them; here is Work for the true Judges, who have the Spirit of Judgment upon them: And not with standing some, here and there, who may be found in the faithful Discharge of that Truth the Lord hath reposed in them, may meet with some Opposition from such as are unfaithful, and not willing to be bounded and girded by the Truth, no not so much as to an outward Conformity to the Plainness and Decency, so much and frequently recommended by the Writings, by publick Testimonies, and also in our Meetings for Discipline; for it is a considerable. Branch of our Meetings for Discipline to inspect into, and take care to see that Friends walk orderly as becomes our holy Profession; and where wrong Steps are made, and wrong Ways are gone into, and Liberty taken by any who do profess Truth with us, that such may be dealt with, and the Evil, as also the bad Consequence thereof, laid before them, and they be laboured with, and not left; for although it may be but a small Appearance or Beginning of a [Page 189] Leprosy, which is naturally apt to spread, unless proper Applications, and in due Time too, be made in the Wisdom and Love of God; yet if any there be who prefer [...] own Wills and so far love that Life they have in those Things, that are not only evil in themselves, but also of evil Consequence by their [...] Example more than they love Truth and the Unity of the Brethren, such had better for Truth's sake and for the Reputation of the Testimony thereof, he dealt with, for Epic of the Minds of the Faithful, who suffer under the Sense they frequently labour of a Cloud of Darkness and Oppression, wrong Ways and wrong Things.
It may not be amiss to give a Hint here, at what Door many have gone out into divers Evils; first, by being brought by Custom to be in love with Strong-drink, and keeping loose Company; for even such have been so far a Means to corrupt, and in time to draw away the Mind from that Simplicity and purity the Lord's People ought to live in, until a Cloud has some over the Understanding, and the Sense of the Virtue and heavenly Savor of the precious Truth is lost; and then the old Inhabitants of the Land (comparatively speaking) cloud in again, as Pride, Passion, Lust, Envy, loose Conversation, open Drunks one's; nay some worse Spirit's than their Minds with the former, that was once measurably overcome and cast out; it is therefore certain, that the land at these will be miserable, except the Land grants them a Place of Repentance while here.
[Page 190] Now my tender and well beloved Friends, watch against and strive to keep out the Enemy that he enter not; for what way soever he enters and gets Footing, he defiles God's Temple, and before thou witnessed if the Lord to Destroy him and call him out again, thou must have many a sore Combat, and some Warfare (perhaps more than thou art aware of) before thou gainest all the Ground thou hast lest, by giving way to the Adversary of thy Soul; therefore keep upon thy Watch-tower, watch unto the End, watch and pray continually, that he enter not into Temptation, said our great Lord unto his Followers: for I have found by Experience, that it is harder to gain what we have lost, than to keep it while we had it; and to improve our Talents, is not only the way to have them continued, but also to have them more abundantly added unto us; but such as do not improve what is given unto them, even that which they have been intrusted with shall be taken from them: Oh! how desolate and miserable such will be in the Day of Account, when Christ like a great Shepherd, divides the Sheep from the Coats, and between the Slothful and the Faithful Servants, between the wife and the foolish Virgins, and between all those who adhered to, obey'd, and followed him according to the Measure of Light and Knowledge received, and those who have rejected and disobeyed the Strivings and Convictions of God's holy Light, and blessed Spirit, placed in the Hearts of the Children of Men to enlighten, instruct, reprove, comfort, and guide, according to the State of every individual Mind, as it is conformable or disobedient to [Page 191] inward Convictions. So is this holy Gift a Witness for, or against, to accuse, or excuse in thy Conscience, according as thy good or evil Doings are and do prevail in thy Heart and Soul. But this is somewhat a Digression from the historical Part of my Travels; for as I have mentioned before my going into Ireland, I shall now say something more particularly thereof.
We journeyed from Dublin towards Cork, and had several Meetings in our Way, as at Ballicane, Culladine, Wexford, Lamb [...]own, Waterford, Clonmel, Cashel Youghail, Cork, and staid their Province Meeting for Munster, which was a good and large Meeting. I was much out of Order here, by reason of a Fever-and-Ague which held me several Days, and I was much obliged to my Friends John Dodds, Joseph Heare and his Family for the great Care they took of me in this my weak State; I was not without some Reasonings for a Time, as to my being out of my native Country, but the Lord who is mighty in Power, helped me and raised me again, and gave me Ability to discharge myself of that Service I was called to, honoured forever be the great Name of the Lord for this and all his Mercies.
Next we came to Charleville, Lim [...]ick, Ross, and from thence to John Ashton's, Birr, James Hutchinson's, Montrath, Mountmelick, Henry Ridgway's, and from Balinakil to Montrath again, and was at their Six-weeks Meeting, which was a heavenly and good Meeting, there being a living Remnant there: then we came to Kilconner, Carlow, Ballitore, John Stephenjon's, Timahoe, Edenderry, and went to see my [Page 192] good Friend Thomas Wilson, who was sore troubled with the Gravel; I was much afflicted, and truly sympathized with him in my Spirit, and John Barcrost, that true Man, and I did what we could for our afflicted Brother, and so left him and his Family in the Love of God; and went to Lismoiny, the Moat, Waterstown, Ballimury, Athlone, and had another Meeting at the Moat; O'deastle, Ballibays, Coothill, Castleshean Ballihegan, Ch [...]lemount, Dumclaudy, Colrain, James Moor's, the Grange, Antrim, Lusburn, Hilisborough, and was at their Province Meeting, which was held at Ballendery, and was also at some Meetings twice; Monallen, Trumery, Lurgan, Raffer-Island, Newry, and from thence to Droghedn, and so to Dublin, being the 29th of the Fifth-Month, 1722, and stayed there some Meetings; and a living Remnant there is in that City, but it is a rich Place; the mighty God of Heaven and Earth keep his People low, and truly humble in that great City and every where else, is the earnest Desire of my Soul to the Lord; for I know there is a considerable Remnant, whose Labour and daily Travail is to have the Church kept clean from all manner of Defilements both of Flesh and Spirit, so that she may be presented unto God the Father without Spot or Wrinkle or any such Thing, in the Day when the must appear before the great Judge of all the Earth, who will do Right unto every one, according as their Works are found to be Good or Evil.
Being clear of Dublin and the whole Nation, I took shipping for Whitehaven, and had a short Passage [Page 193] sage but a very rough one, and had some Meetings in my way Home, to which I got on the 21st of the Six Month, 1722, and found in Children recovered from the Fever and Ague in which I left then when I took my Journey, which Distemper ha [...] so far prevailed over them, that they were sometimes [...]ly sensible; it had been upon them for a Considerable able Time, and it proved a Trial to me to leave seen in that very weak State, but one Day a [...] I sought the Lord in the Fervency of my Heart, to know whether I should leave these my two poor weak Children or not, as also my House-keeper much in the same Case (who were all my constant Family) it sprang in my Heart livingly as though it had been spoke with a Man's Voice, Leave them, and I will take Care of them; I said, Thou the Lord hast never fal [...]ed me, I will leave them to thee do what see much good in thy Eye with them. I looked then no more behind me, neither at them nor any thing else I had left, but became as if I had not any thing in the World. For thus it behaveth all the Servants of Christ to do, even the Married as if they were not married; and those that buy any Thing, as if they did not possess it: This is a Liberty which many are Strangers unto, it is wrought by the Finger of God; it is the Work of Go [...]'s heavenly Power to loosen Man thus from the Things of this World, and at the same Time we are most bound unto Christ, yet enjoy a comfortable and heavenly Freedom in our Spirits in Christ, by our Faith and Obedience unto him, in and through all Trials, Provings [Page 194] and Adversities: And dear Friends, the greater the Cross, the greater is the Crown and Reward, which all these possess, who do all Things they do with a single Mind, and an upright Heart unto the Lord in all Things, and at all Times.
Thus the Children of the Bridegroom are or ought to be espoused or married to Christ, and truly devoted to him, that so they may stand, as much as may be, disentangled from all mutable Things, and cleave to and follow him when and wheresoever he calls and leads, and be in Subjection to him, as a virtuous Wife is not only bound, but willingly is subject, to her virtuous and preferable Husband; Thus we may knew and experience Christ to become our holy Head, and that we may hold unto him, and that we may so walk and live, that he may take Delight in his Church, (the Body) to rule in and over it, is we have the State of the true Church and Christ represented in the most excellent and sacred Writings of the holy Scriptures. Oh! that we may like wife know the Marriage of the Lamb to be come, and that as of old, we may make ourselves ready, put off the Sins and Corruptions of the Word that are thro' Lust, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and his pure Righteousness: This is the fine Linen, the Righteousness of the Saints; this is the Wedding Garment; without which Preparation, and true Bride's Attire, I cannot see how any can expect an Admittance into the Bridegroom's Chamber: Therefore I intreat all such as do not find themselves in Preparation, and have not their Peace assured to them, and want the Seal or Evidence of the Spirit [Page 195] of the Lord that they are his, not to slumber away their precious Time until the Midnight, least unexpectedly the Cry he heard to found with Terror in thy Ears, Arise, trim thy Lamp, for behold the Bridegroom cometh, who hath in Times past exercised Mercy and Loving-kindness towards thee, and has sought divers Ways to win thee to love him; he has at times reproved thee for thy evil Ways, and at other Times he hath set before thee the Comforts and Happiness thou shouldst possess, if thou wouldst obey and follow him; nay, he hath wooed thee as a young Man doth a Virgin, and if thou hadst devoted thy self to him, he would have gathered and saved thee, and rejoiced over thee as a Bridegroom doth over his Bride, But if thou turnest thy back upon all his Reproofs, Intreaties, and Endearments (as in the Parable of the five foolish Virgins) in the Time when he (the Bridegroom) calls to an account, he will not know thee otherwise than to shut thee out of his Presence and Favour, notwithstanding whatever thou mayst have heard, received or done, if thou continuest to work Wickedness, and art not reclaimed there from.
These Things sprang in my Mind as a Warning for all, to flee from every destructive Thing, before the Lord overtakes them, when they cannot escape his Hand of Justice; and also, that the Faithful may be encouraged in well-doing, and to a faithful Perseverance to the End, Amen.
Some Things which have been omitted, I think proper to insert here, as worthy of Observation. As I was travelling towards Lincoln, and passing [Page 196] through. Brig, Friends gave me Notice then there were two great Disputants, a N [...]mist Minister, and a Doctor of Physick, who were like to go all or most of the Way with me, as the Assizes were coming on, and would be at me with Arguments about Religion, which I soon, found true; for we were no sooner got into a suitable Way but they began with me, which I endeavoured to prevent by telling them, I did not look upon myself to be qualified for Disputes; and withal I observed, that sometimes Disputants ended in a worse Understanding one of another than when they began, except they minded well to keep good Government; and now as we appeared free and friendly, how we might be when we had ended our Dispute, was a Question, therefore I had rather they would forbear: But they turned the deaf Ear to all that I said, and nothing would do with them, but a Dispute we must have, I then asked them what they would say? They queried, Whether all Men were placed in a Station capable of Salvation, yea or nay? I replied, if I should give my positive Thoughts to your Question, we shall have Occasion to go back to treat of the Nature, not only of the upright State Man was in before he fell, but also how he fell; and also in the Fall, how he stands as in Relation to his Restoration, which brings us to the Question. Although this be not the usual Way of Disputants, yet if you will submit to it, it will either Answer your Question, or set it in a clearer Light for an Answer. They asked, How could that be? I replied, if it did not, they might say so. They then so far condescended [Page 197] as to hear me, and I said, first, we all agree in this that Man was made upright; secondly, that he fell from, that Uprightness; the Question then is, How? Answ. By the Offence or Disobedience of the first Man Adam, Sin entred and Condemnation came upon all who had sinned. I then queried of the Disputants, whether they believed that Adam's Fall did affect all those who did not hear of it, as well as those who did? For, I said, there were some of Opinion, that those who had not the explicit or outward Knowledge of the promised Seed or coming of Christ, had not the Benefit of his Coming; and except they would first allow, that all were affected or hurt by Adam's Fall, then such as were not, remained in Paradise to this Day, except they would make the Remedy less than the Disease, the Plaisto [...] less than the Sore, and Christ's Coming less extensive than Adam's Fall. I argued, that upon the foot of Reason, as well as what we had in plain Scripture, Christ's Coming was as extensive as the Fall of Adam; for, by the Obedience of Christ, the Gift of God Came upon all unto Justification.
Now I think, said I, your Question is set in a clear Light for an Answer, or else Answered; so take it at what End you will (laying aside all Quibbling) I intend to join Issue with you, and prove that all Men are placed in a Station capable of Salvation; or otherwise you must leave a great Part of the World in Paraoise, or make the Coming of Christ less extensive than the Fall of Adam. I then queried, what they said to all this? They answer'd, they never heard the like before, and they would not meddle [Page 198] with me, I was too great a Scholar for them. I said, there was little of Scholarship in it; I offered, I thought, nothing but plain Scripture and sound Reason; and I told them, I had now as good as answered their Question, and had given several Reasons to back my Answer, and as they appeared wise, well read Men, and as far as I had gathered, had been principled against universal Salvation, and universal Grace, for them now to drop the Matter so slenderly, before me who appear'd but like a Child to them, was very surprizing: But they replied, they would not meddle with me.
I then commended them for their good Temper, and the Civility they shewed to me, for they were civil to me beyond what I could expect; and they invited me to the Burial of one of their deceased Friends, but I could not go, for I was in haste to get to Lincoln, having some Business there that hastened me. Now at parting with them, my Soul magnified the Lord, under a Sense of his Goodness to me, in that he had opened my Way, and helped me through this Difficulty, with many other Trials and Afflictions I had met with.
I had at another Time some Reasonings with a Papist who was my Neighbour, about the Visibility of their Church, and Transubstantiation, with several other Things. As to the first, I shewed him, that the true Church, fled into the Wilderness, where she was for Times, Times, and half a Time; in this State we do not read she had any outward Character as a visible Church; and that if they derived their Descent, it was from some false Church, and not [Page 199] through the true one. And as to the other, they took too much upon them, more than they could justify from Scripture, or clearly demonstrate from Christ or his Apostles; for Christ never gave any of them such a Commission, as to convert Bread and Wine into real Flesh and Blood, and then to call it Christ. You, said I, by these Notions, deceive yourselves and your Adherents; for Christ spoke unto such as you by Parables, because they were carnal, and did not understand the Meaning of his Sayings in this Case, no more than the Jews understood what Christ meant, when he spoke of destroying this Temple (meaning his Body) which they understood was of that Temple at Jerusalem, which they made a great Wonder at, and said, How can this be, that he can destroy this Temple, and raise it up again in three Days, when it was Forty eight Years in building? Thus they reasoned carnally, as Nicodemus (though a Ruler of the Jews) did concerning Regeneration or the new Birth; and as the Woman of Samaria did, from whence Christ should have that living Water, which he spoke of, that should be in Man as a Well of living Water, springing up unto everlasting Life; and as the Jews did, when Christ said, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no Life in you; they said, How can this be, that he can give us his Flesh to eat, and his Blood to drink? But this is a spiritual Eating and Drinking; even as Christ said, Out of the Belly of him that believes, shall flow Rivers of living Waters; which he spoke of the Spirit: In like manner it is said in the Revelations, Behold I stand at the Door and knock, if any hear my [Page 200] Voice, and often unto me, I will come in, and [...] with him, and be with me. Here is an Union of Spirits between Christ and his faithful Children, and here is an inward Eating and Drinking of the [...] spiritual and mystical Flesh and Blood of Christ; which carnal Men cannot eat of neither can the carnal Eye discern Christ's spiritual Body, which he seeds his living and spiritual Church withal. When I had reasoned with the Man to this Effect, he went away seemingly not pleased, but would not from that Time ever meddle with me any more.
I need not say much here about Christ's being come; having shewed, in a Conference in New England, how he is come to answer his Eating and Drinking the Passover and last Supper with his Disciples, saying, he would drink no more of the Fruit of the Vine, Until he drank it new with them in his I Father's Kingdom. Now he that hath experienced what this Eating and Drinking is, is come beyond the outward Eating and Drinking, into the Kingdom which is within, which comes not with outward Observations, Eatings, Drinkings, nor carnal Ordinances, but the Kingdom of Heaven consists in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost.
Now, read this thou that canst, and learn to understand between the Thing that Points, and the Thing which is pointed at, and between the Thing signifying, and the Thing signifyed, and mistake not the Shadow for the Substance any longer; for it is possible a Man may do all the outward Parts, and yet be ignorant of the Cross of Christ, and of the heavenly Substance: But if he is come to the [Page 201] End of these outside Things, to the Holy of Holles, such will know what it is to minister before the Lord in his Temple, and to serve and wait at the holy Altar, and live, and have that pure spiritual Life preserved: For we read not of any Tithes that appertain to this spiritual Priesthood, or Gospel Ministry; and what their outward Maintenance was to be, is shewed by Christ, beyond Contradiction, who sent them forth. Where they were received (mark that well) they might eat such Things as were set before them, but were not to take any Thing from them by Force, for that is out of the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles.
Why do People call the Scripture their Rule of Faith and Manners, when at the same Time they believe and act contrary thereto? For when I had some Years before a Debate with the Priest of our Parish, we meeting it Sp [...]ton, I being there upon some Occasion, and several People met together, the Priest demanded my Reasons, why I did not pay him his Tithe? I used some persuasive Arguments to put him off, not being willing at that Time to enter into any Debate with him; but the more I shewed my Unwillingness to it, the more urgent he was upon me: So when I could not see how to avoid entering into some close Debate with him, I desired he would not be angry, and he said he would not, I then shewed in several Particulars, why I could not pay him any Tithe, because I believed, if he was a Minister of Jesus Christ, he ought nor to claim any, for, as there was a Change of the Priest [...]d, there also must be of Necessity a Change of the Law, as [Page 202] we see in Heb. vii. 12. and to pretend to draw any Command or Example from Christ or his Apostles, out of the new Testament, for that Purpose, appears to me weak and inconsistent.
We had some farther Discourse upon the Ground of his Right and Title to Tithes, whether Jure divino, as they used to be formerly claimed, or Jure bumano, that is, by human Laws, as most of the modern Priests seem to chuse to fix their Title; I bid him fix his Right for Tithes on which Claim he pleased, and I would endeavour to answer him as well as I could, but he seem'd not to fix upon either; whereupon I told him, That there was no scriptural Settlement of Tithes upon Gospel Ministers, and also offered to prove, that he was neither in the Practice of the Levites, to whom Tithes were directed to be paid, nor yet in the Practice of those Ministers whom Christ qualified, ordained and sent forth; First, not in the Practice of the Levites; because the Tithes due to them, were for their Service and punctual Performance of their Part of the ceremonial Law, Numb. xviii. 21. which if any now claimed, it seemed to me, that he subjected himself to the Practice of burnt Offerings and Sacrifices, Circumcision, Jewish Habits, Washings, &c. (besides which, the Law which appointed the Tithe to the Levites, expresly forbids them to have any Share or Inheritance in the Land, as appears from Numb. xviii. 20, 23, 24, and Deut. xviii. 1, 2.) which the modern Claimers of Tithe would be loth to be compelled to the Practice of; not to insist on the Law of the third Year's Tithe, of which the Widow, the [Page 203] Fatherless and the Stranger within their Gates, were to receive a considerable Part as their alloted Portion, Deut. xiv. 28, 29. Secondly, not in the Practice of those Ministers Christ qualified and sent forth; for these went out by an especial Command from him, without Gold, Silver or Brass in their Purses, without two Coats; and so intent were they to be in the Execution of their great Duty of preaching the Gospel, that they were to salute no Man by the way, but to go forward on the great Errand they had received in Commission: And when they returned to their Lord he asked them, If they lacked any Thing? And they said, Nothing; yet not because they had forced a Maintenance from any, but that the Effect of their Ministry among their Hearers had been so prevalent, that those who had been convinced by their Doctrine, and turned to the effectual Power of Christ in themselves, had from thence known their Hearts so opened, as to administer to all their immediate Necessities; and these, thus sent, had only eat such Things as were set before them, as they were appointed; and where they had sown Spirituals, had only reaped of the Temporals of their Converts for their immediate Subsistance: But though thou sowest not to me of thy Spirituals, nor do I believe thee to be one who hast any thing spiritual, which can be of any Benefit to my spiritual Part; and though thou esteemest me as on Heathen Man and a Publican, and I am excommunicated and cut off from any Church-fellowship with thee, (not for any Evil, but as far as I can understand, for not coming to what thou callest the [Page 204] Church) yet thou expectest to reap of my Temporals, because the Law of the Land has given thee that Power; which Disposition to reap [...] thou has not sown and to gather where thou hast not [...], is far from manifesting a [...] Spirit.
The Priest farther urged some Passages out of the New Testament, in Vindication of the Payment of Tithes, alluding to that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. ix. 7. about sowing of spiritual Things unto us; that it was but a small Thing if [...] received of our [...] Things; and that of feeding a Flock, and partaking of the Milk of the Flock, and of planting [...], and eating the Fruit thereof: All which I endeavoured to obviate, by shewing, that he did not sow his Spirituals to us, so as that he might be intituled to our carnal Things; neither were we of that Flock which he should partake of the Milk of; neither were a Vineyard which he had planted, that he might eat of the Fruit thereof. Furthermore I said, as I am a Stranger, and an excommunicated Person, and not of thy Children, the Apostles, if they wanted or were in any Straits for Necessaries, did not apply to Strangers for Help, but to such of their Children as they had been instrumental in the Hand of God to plant the true Faith, and sow the Seed of the Kingdom in: Now these who were thus convinced, and by the Work of God's Power converted, these were such who knew Spiritual Things sown in them, who I believed were very free to distribute (where true Need was) of their temporal Things, especially to such who had been instrumental in the Lord's Hand to their coming to the saving Knowledge of Jesus [Page 205] Christ. But I shewed the Priest, that all this carried no Analogy to what was between him and me, for I, being excommunicated, was but to him as an Heathen Man and a Publican, and as we never came to hear him, we could not owe him any Acknowledgment, nor could he expect any Thing as a freewill-offering on that Account.
This Priest Wykes, (for that was his Name) was a strong spirited Man, of considerable Parts and Learning; and a neighbouring justice of the Peace told me, he was fearful would be very severe with me; yet to his Commendation be it spoken, he was ever after this Conference very loving, and never gave me any Trouble for those he called his Dues.
I may add one Observation or two not mentioned in our Debate, which were, that If the Maintenance of the Priests was to be wholly withdrawn, or left to thy Freedom and Generosity of the People, many of them would want and come to Poverty, and he forced to labour with their Hands, which would distract or at least impede their Studies. I answer'd, that with such Ministers as they were, this might be the Case: But if all Would come truly and rightly to wait on the great Teacher, the Anointing in themselves, it would greatly tend to the Advantage of Christendom; for the Almighty, who by his good Spirit is alone able to raise up and quality Gospel-Ministers, as he knows the Wants of his People, and their Faith and Trust in him, would no doubt raise up from among them faithful Ministers; such, who being humble, meek and low in Heart, like him of whom they had learned, would be content to live in Moderation [Page 206] on a little, and to labour in their respective Callings, like the Apostle Paul, that great Minister of the Gentiles, working with their Hands that their Ministry might not be chargeable, such as Fishermen, Collectors of Customs, &c. whose Ministry being not their own, but received immediately from the great Shepherd of the Sheep, would not require much Time and Study to pen down, but coming from the Spirit of Truth immediately moving upon the Minister's Heart, would be more effectual to reach the Witness of Truth in the Hearts of their Hearers than all the laboured Discourses of the most subtil Priest, though the Produce of much Pains and Study. Neither have I found in all my Travels, from any Observation I have made, that ever the faithful Ministers of Christ became any great Burthen or Charge to the Churches; for I have seen the divine Providence attend the Lord's faithful Servants, who thereby have been enabled to order their Affairs with Discretion, so as to want little.
An ACCOUNT of my second Visit to FRIENDS in AMERICA.
I Having had Drawings in my Mind, for some considerable Time, once more to visit Friends in several Parts of America, and inasmuch as I believed it was my Duty, and what the Lord required of me to give up to, I was resigned, after some [Page 207] Reasonings about my Age, and Declension as to Ability of outward Strength, concerning which I met with some inward Conflicts and Combatings which brought me very low for a Time; but the Lord helped me thro' these Difficulties, and caused his Truth to spring comfortably in my Heart, and his heavenly Presence I witnessed at Times to refresh my Soul in these Exercises unknown to many; and the Time being come for my preparing for the Journey, on the 15th of the Third Month 1731, I set forward from Hutton in the Hole to Scarborough, where I took shipping with George Widget for London, and came thither the first Day of the Yearly-meeting, with which I was very well satisfied, and on the 25th Day of the Fourth Month went on board of a Vessel bound for Philadelphia in America, John Wilcox Master, who was very civil and kind to me.
On the 27th of the said Month we set sail, and had a good Passage in the main, excepting that we had one very great Storm, in which we were in Danger of being lost; our Bolt-sprit was broke, and the Masts were in Danger of coming down, yet we were preserved and in about eleven Weeks, being the 12th of the Seventh Month, I landed near Philadelphia, to the great Satisfaction of Friends as well as myself, renowned be the great Name of the Lord for ever.
I have many Times considered, that although it was my Place to leave my very near and dear Friends, Children and Relations, who in a tender Frame of Spirit were much concerned for me, and I for them, [Page 208] yet I met with many tender-hearted Friends in my Travels, who were very near me in the ever blessed Truth; which fails not those who trust in the Lord, and are faithful, according to the Ability and Understanding which the Lord hath given to the Children of Men, and are devoted to answer the Leadings and Guidance of his holy Spirit, and willing to bear the Cross, Burthen, or Yoke, which he sees good to lay upon his Servants and Handmaids: And I intreat all such who are called unto the Lord's great Work, to give up cheerfully and not grudgingly, and not to look back at what is behind, so as to hasten or hinder themselves in that Work they arc called to, lest they fall short of that Penny, or Crown, which the Faithful will receive in the End of all their Labour.
The Yearly-meeting at Philadelphia was nigh when we landed, which was large, and a good Meeting, many Friends from several Parts being at it. Here I met with Henry Frankland, and we were truly glad to see each other, and went in Company together southward towards Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, and return'd to Pennsylvania; and in a short time after we parted: He came for England, and I travelled fur New-England through the Jerseys, Long-Island, Rhode-Island and Nantucket, having Richard Waln of Pennsylvania for my Companion, an innocent kind Man; we passed through all, or most part of the aforesaid Provinces and Islands, and had very large Meetings, and great Attention there was in many to hear the Testimony of Truth, and an open Door both of Utterance [Page 209] and in many Places of Entrance, for what was delivered; yet not without Opposition in some Places.
I had some Discourse with a Baptist, a Justice of Peace, in one of the Jerseys, (a Man whom I truly loved) and he told me that some of his Children went to our Meetings, and he did not hinder them; he appeared a tender spirited Man, and was of good Repute in these Parts where he lived, and very serviceable in his Post; What we had most in debate, was touching Water-Baptism; I endeavoured to shew him the Use and End of all the shadowy Things, all which were ended in Christ the Substance, or Antitype; and that such outward Materials or Elements appertained not unto his Kingdom, or inward and spiritual Administration; nor could they take away the Root or Cause of Sin, which is only effected by the holy Ghost and Fire, or the holy Ghost that worketh as doth Fire, to the cleansing and purifying the Hearts of the Children of Men, as is the Nature of material Fire to cleanse what it is properly applied unto.
I met with the same Justice afterwards at Burlington in West Jersey, he was glad to see me, and so was I to see him, for he was very loving and friendly. I likewise met with a Man who was a School-master upon Long Island, that appeared somewhat offended at something I had said in a Meeting where he had been, and he followed me to a Friend's House, and appeared so full of Scriptures in Vindication (as he thought) of Water-Baptism, that what with his reading many Passages in the Scriptures, and paraphrasing upon them, he [Page 210] would not hear me for some Time; but when he was quiet I said to him, Thou hast not treated me like a fair Disputant, to run on so long, and not to give me Time to make my Objections; it thou hadst pitched upon any particular Scripture, and given me Liberty to have answered, it would have been civil and reasonable. He owned, he had not done fairly by me; but I desired to know, what Church he pretended to belong to? He answered, To the Episcopal Church. I then requested he would answer me one Question before we entered into any farther Debate, and he promised he would if he understood it. I told him, I heard he was a Scholar, and no doubt but understood how to answer it, if he did but consider the Matter; the Query was this, Whether the sprinkling a little Water in a Child's Face, would bear the Name Baptism, yea or nay? He said, it would not. I answered, Thou hast made a great Pother and Noise about little or nothing; for by thy own Confession thy Church has no Baptism at all, for I know not of any other Way they use but Sprinkling. He would not enter into any farther Discourse about it, but made use of the Words of Gamaliel, in favour of the Work the Apostles were concerned in, saying, If this Work be of God it could not be overthrown, but if it was of Man it would come to nought. I told him, I was of his Mind; and the Lord hath supported me in this and the like Work, now between forty and fifty Years, and if I continued faithful, I had no Doubt at all in my Mind, but he would support and stand by me to the End. And when we parted he said, The Lord of Heaven and Earth bless you, for I believe you are an honest Man.
[Page 211] By this we may see, that Truth sometimes comes over Men, and the Witness which God hath placed in Men is reached, and Truth prevails many times beyond our Expectation, or what is by us foreseen; therefore it is good to keep to the Guidance or Leading of the Spirit of Truth, for it is a blessed Remembrances, Instructor, and true Comforter to all such as truly depend upon him, who sent the Spirit of Truth into the Hearts of the Children of Men, to guide them into all the necessary Truths which we are to know and practice, and consequently out of ail Untruth.
When we had gone through this Island, and visited Friends there, and in Rhode-Island, and had some Meetings in our Way, we went to Nantucket, where we met with many innocent plain Friends; also on Rhode-Island, and in many Places in these Parts of the Country, we found great Openness; in Boston beyond Expectation, and there was some Convincement in that Town. We travelled up to Dover, and visited Friends thereabout (which are the most remote Parts where Friends inhabit in that Quarter of New-England) where I met with a Presbyterian Priest: What his Design chiefly was in coming to the Friend's House I know not, but thought it was to see, or rather speak with me, for he soon began to ask me some Questions; first, Whether I was not brought up a Scholar, and had been in some of the Colleges where I had my Education? And also, Whether I had not put on the canonical Gown, and preached according to the Manner of the Church of England? I replied, I had not received my Education [Page 212] in any College, neither ever put on the canonical Gown, nor preached after the Manner of the Church of England. He told me, I had been so represented to him; and said, be supposed I had been at some Schools: I told him, I had been at several to learn when I was young; and said, I did not know that I had given Occasion at any Time, by what I had said, whereby any Man might judge me to be a Scholar. He understood I came from old England, and began to ask several Questions, as Whether our Friends increased or decreased? I answered, I could not positively tell; I thought there was no great Alteration in my Time as to Number, for their Decrease in one Fart of the Nation, I thought might be made up by their Increase in another Part. He also asked me, How the episcopal Ministers dealt with us about their Tithes? My Answer was thus; As to that Part called the Praedial Tithes, they commonly either gather them themselves or Family, or set them to Tenants who take care to ferch them away before us, knowing that we cannot be free to leave them on the Ground, as Hay and Corn, &c. and as to small Tithes, there is an *Act of Parliament, called An Act for the more easy Recovery of small [Page 213] Tithes, for any Sum not exceeding forty Shillings, and ten Shillings Cost; which is by Justice's Warrants. This is mostly thought to be intended to prevent their Procedure by Exchequer Process, through which great Havock and Spoil has been made of Friends Goods, and sometimes their Bodies cast into Prison, where some have lain a long Time. He asked, How our Friends did in Scotland, if they increased there? I told him, I heard that they did not increase, but some of the Presbyterians in Scotland were kind to our Friends, and would come to our Meetings, especially if Strangers were at them: And I also told him, that Persecution in our Part of the World was become hateful amongst most sober People. He said, It was very well; and likewise mentioned, that we were refined, and not the People we had been. I asked him, wherein he thought we were refined? He answered, in our Principles. I desired him to name one, and he said, George Fox denied the Resurrection of the Dead. I told him, George Fox did own a Resurrection according to Scripture, as we do; but because he and our Friends thought it not safe to recede from plain Scripture, nor to comply with the Way many People have of expressing it, which we think to be too gross and carnal, viz. that the same Body shall rise, therefore they have asserted we deny the Resurrection: The Apostle saith, that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that Body that shall be, for it is sown in Corruption, raised in Incorruption, sown a natural, raised a spiritual Body; with much more that might be added: And how much such a Change maketh a Difference between the present and the suture [Page 214] in the Resurrection, between natural and spiritual, Corruption and Incorruption, I knew not of any finite Creature that is able truly to determine; and therefore I think it is not consistent with Charity, nor true Wisdom, to differ about such Things which exceed our Comprehension. He allowed it to be better to let them alone.
We parted very friendly, and Friends were glad of the Opportunity, he having the Character of being a great Scholar and a wise Man; but from all that passed, they believed he gained no Advantage: However he behaved well; and before we parted, I told him, I thought the greatest Reason why some think us refined was this, That formerly People were to prejudiced, that whatever was printed or said against us, our Principles, Practice and Doctrine, was generally received and believed, though never so much disgusted or covered with such Dresses as might render us most odious, and were by many taken for the Standard of our Belief and Practice; but of late the Light hath mere appeared, and many are grown better disposed towards us, and likewise Men, not willing to be imposed upon any longer, have searched for themselves into the State of the Controversy between us and our opposers; and our Writings upon perusal, appearing so clear and different from what the Books of those who opposed us charged upon us, caused many who read them with a good Design, and were willing to be set right, to say we were reformed, and not the People that we had been. The Priest said, he thought there might be much owing to that: I told him it was undeniable, that [Page 215] there must be a great Difference between our Principles, Doctrines and Conversations, truly stated and set forth in their proper Light, and when they were misrepresented, sometimes with all the Art and implacable Malice that Men were capable of: And this has been the Way our Adversaries have treated us, almost in every Thing we have believed, said of writ, although it was very agreeable to the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament.
We returned back to Salem, Lynn and Boston, and visited Friends in our Way, and at Rhode-Island, Long-Island and New-York; and we had many good Meetings and some large in the Jerseys, where I had some Discourse with a Justice of the Peace about Water-Baptism, but he did not hold it long before he gave up; and I had another at Allens-Town with a Presbyterian, which held for some Hours, about Water-Baptism, and concerning Election and Reprobation, and he also soon give up as to the first; but when he began about Election and Reprobation, I said, I thought it was the most pernicious Doctrine that ever was broach'd in the World, it did so oppose the very Nature of God, and his Design of creating of Man, which, with all his other Works, he pronounced good and blessed; and that Man, as the Crown and Glory of all his Works which he had created, should be designed for the most miserable End, was unaccountable; I urged many Scriptures against that Doctrine, as also the Confusion their were in about it, as that of their Westminster Confession of Faith, wherein they say, That the Decree is so certain and definite, that one cannot be added to [Page 216] the Number of the Elect, or diminished from the Number of the Reprobate; and yet you tell us, that God bath ordained the Means to effect his Ends: I then said, this Supposition of a Decree for the Means, as well as the End, seems intended to make the Priests and their Service necessary; but yet if they cannot alter the Decree, what Benefit or Advantage can there be to Men by their Services or Performance? I hope none will think that a Service to Mankind, to strengthen or confirm that Decree if it were in their Power to do it, which I am satisfied it is not; because no such Decree was made or is in being; the opposite appearing by plain Scripture (which he owned when I urged it) to wit, that the Fall of Adam did affect all; and upon the Parity of Reason, the Coming of Christ did reach as far; because, as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive; he tasted Death for every Man, was a Propitiation for the Sins of all; and where then wilt thou find a People that is not included? But if thou canst find in, and prove by plain Scripture, that there is such a People not included in these general Assertions, that Christ came to save, shew me who they are. These and much more I urged against that Doctrine, and he with many others appeared much satisfied, and we parted friendly. He came next Day several Miles to a Meeting which I had appointed; the Man was counted a wise and sober Man, and was under some Convincement, and behaved well.
From thence we went to Pensylvania, and had many good Meetings in that Part, and being clear and willing to return, I took leave of Friends in a [Page 217] loving and tender Frame of Spirit, and embarked on board a Ship, whereof Samuel Flower was Master, the 1st of the Third Month 1733 at Philadelphia, and arrived at Bristol the 18th of the Fourth Month following, and was glad we got safe to England having been seven Weeks in our Passage; I got, Home on the 6th of the Sixth Month, and was truly thankful to the Lord, who had preserved me in these long Travels and Labours of Love, through many Difficulties; but the Lord's Power is sufficient to bear up and carry through all, Renowned be his worthy Name over all, now and for ever, Amen.
A remarkable DELIVERANCE which happened to me, being omitted in its proper Place, I think sit to insert here, which was as follows.
In the Year 1718 and the Twelfth Month, when John Dodgson was visiting Friends in our Parts, he lodged with me, and I went with him and his Brother-in-Law Peter Buck, to be their Guide to Whithy, and staid their First-day's Meeting; and Second-day's Preparative Meeting; and on the Third-day I went on with Friends towards Scarborough, to have the better Road home, there having fallen a great deal of Snow while we were at Whithy, so that it was looked upon impracticable for me to return the same Way home that I came, it being a moorish, bad Way: But in our Way back, within a Mile or little more from Scarborough, we came to a Brook, which by reason of the excessive Rain and Snow [Page 218] was higher than ever I had seen it, so that we came to ride thro' it, Henry Levin, our Guide, first adventured in, being mounted upon a very strong large Horse, and got over with some Difficulty, and I followed him; but when I came about the middle of the fording Place, it took my Mare off her Feet, and something being in the was, it turned her upon her Broadside, so that I was dismounted and carried away by the Rapidity of the Stream; but there being a Foot-bridge a little below, about Knee deep under Water, and no Rail either to be a Guide, or to lay a Hand on, and the Water being reduced to a narrow Compass, hurried me violently along, and drove me with my Breast against the Bridge with such Force, that it very near knocked the Breath out of me; but before I touch'd the Bridge I happened to hold up my Hand, and John Dodgson seeing the Danger I was in, jumped off his Horse, and ran at a venture (seeing the Water ripple) to hit the Bridge, and just caught hold of my Fingers, and held my Head above Water, until Henry Levins, who was got over, came to his Assistance.
But by the Strength of the Water in my Boot-tops, they being large, and by a Nail in the Timber under the Bridge) catching hold of my great Coat, which held me fast, it was impossible for one Man to free me, and not without some Difficulty for them both to get me out, the Nail holding so fast that it tore out a great Piece of my Coat, Lining and all; but upon Henry's dismounting, his Horse ran away to Scarborough, (and mine swam back to the Company) and when they had got me out, Henry an on Foot to get his Horse, and found him at the [Page 219] Stable Door where he used to stand, and in the mean Time John Dodgson kept me in Motion by dragging me along, having very little or sometimes no Hopes of my Recovery. When the Horse returned, they got me back to Scarborough, but I was not sensible how, and they had me to Dorothy Jaques's House, and when there, they could perceive my Lips move, but could not hear what I said, until one laid an Ear close to my Mouth, and so understood that I said, If they gave me any Thing that was strong, it would carry me off; which made them very cautious: However, they stript me and changed my Shirt, and put me into a warm'd Bad, and applied warm Flannel to my Feet for three Hours together, which I knew nothing of, being then altogether Senseless.
Isaac Skelton, who had been a Companion of mine in the Service of the Truth, through several Counties, hearing of this Accident, came immediately and got into Bed to me and kept me close in his Bosom, which many thought was a great Means to preserve my Life. John Dodgson, though he intended for the Monthly-meetings expressed so great a Concern for me, that he said, He would either see me in a Way of Recovery, or die, before be lest me; yet it pleased the Lord, of his infinite Mercy so wonderfully to raise me up again, as to enable me to be at the Meeting next Day, and also to bear some Testimony, which was very acceptable and comfortable to Friends, as it was also to see me there beyond their Expectation; but yet I was much troubled with Pain, the fleshy Part of my Shoulder [Page 220] being rent by the violent hauling me out of the Water.
In Gratitude, my Soul can do no less than praise and magnify the Lord for this great Deliverance, and all his other Mercies, who alone is worthy. And I cannot but take Notice of Friends Kindness and Goodwill to me, in doing whatsoever they could for me, but more especially my worthy Friend John Dodgson, who hazarded his Life to save mine.