1725. at Thomas Pearfall's, and likewise a large, good Meet

ing the Day after being First-day) at Matinicock, Marinicock

wherein the Kingdom of Christ was exalted, and the
deformed State of Sin and Iniquity represented, and
the Example and Doctrine of Christ closely recom-
mended, in order to the overcoming Sin, this being
not only pollible, but the Duty of Christians thro' the
Power of Christ, and true Faith in his holy Name;
and the Danger of believing, that it is impoflible
to overcome Sin, was opened to them, and that such
a Belief is contrary to, and against Christ and his Doc-
trine, and darkens and blinds the Hearts of Men ;
but the Love of Christ enlightens the Soul, and
strengthens it to believe, that all things are possible
wich God, for this great Work cannot be done in the
Will, Wit, and Power of Man, but thro' the Power
and Grace of Christ, which he promised to true Be-
lievers in him. I was faint after this Meeting, but
resting a little I foon grew better, so that we had an
Evening meeting at James Cock's, where one came and
cold us, we must not eat any Flesh, and produced
Tbomas Tryon's Works for his Proof; but I took the
Bible, and shewed him a Proof to the contrary, and told
him, we were resolved to believe our Book before his,
and Thewed him from the Apostle, that the Kingdom
of God is not Meat and Drink, nor divers Washings,
but Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the holy Ghost

,
Romans xiv. 17. Though at the same Time, according
to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, I was for
Temperance in Meats and Drinks, as well as Mode-

racion in Apparel. The next Day we had a very large Oxfter-Bay. Meeting at Oyster-Bay, many being there, who were

not of our Society, who steadily gave Attention to what was declared : Here being many young People, they were persuaded to give up their blooming Years to do che Will of God, and to remember him their Creator, in their youthful Days : Friends said, there had not been such a Meeting there a great while, for

which Opportunity I was humbly thankful to the Lord. 1725.

After Meeting we went to Samuel Underhill's, and had a į an Evening-meeting with his Brother, who, through

Sickness and Lameness, could not get out for a long Time. Next Day, Samuel Bowne being with me, we went to visit a young Woman that was weak in Body, but lay in a comfortable Frame of Mind ; she was thankful for our Visit, and said the Visits of her Friends were comfortable to her. Next Day, being the Fourth-day of the Week, we had a Meeting at the Widow Taylor's, who desired it on Account of her Father, who was in the 88th Year of his Age, and so infirm, that he could not get to Meetings; he was very clear in his Understanding and Memory, and was much refreshed with this Meeting, as were divers of us also. Next Day we had a Meeting at Flushing, Fiuming. which was large and open, and the Grace and Power of Christ was with us in the Ministration of the Gofpel. After this Meeting, we had an Evening meeting with our ancient Friend Jofepb Thorne, who by Reason of his Age and Infirmity, could not go abroad as far as to the Meeting : The House was crowded with his Neighbours and Friends, and we had a solid, good Time together. While at Flushing I went to visit a young Woman who was a most dismal Spectacle to behold, an Object of great Picy: Her Face, Hand and Foot being much eaten away by the King's Evil our Prayers were, that now in her great Milery, the Almighty would be pleased to support her Soul by his Grace and Spirit, and fanctity her Amictions to her, that it mighe work for her a more exceeding Weight of Glory in that World which is to come. The next First-day we had a large Meeting at Flussing, where many weighty Truths were opened to the Satisfaction and Edification of the Auditory, and in the Evening we had a Meeting with the Wife of Mai. thew Farrington, who was too weakly to go abroad ; the Neighbours came in, and we had a seasonable

Opportunity

M 3

1725. Opportunity. The next Third-day was the Youths.

meeting at Flushing, in which we were concerned to exhort them to Obedience to God and their Parents, and to follow their Parents as they follow Christ, for where any leave Christ, there we are to leave their Example, though they were our Fathers or Mothers; and 'thé right Honouring of our Parents was set forth, and they exhorted not to despise the Day of small Things ; and the happy, State of the Obedient, and the unhappy State of the Disobedient, and many weighty Truths

were delivered to them in that Meeting by several Now.tomm. experienced Friends. From Flushing I went to the

Week-day-meeting at New-town, and in the Evening we had a Meeting at the Widow Way's; the Neighbours coming in, we had a good Time with them : The Parable of the ten Virgins was treated of, and the great Disadvantage of wanting the divine Oil of Grace in our Vessels, was shewn to them.

The next Day, being the 5th of the Week, we had a very large, satisfactory Meeting at the Widow Alfup's at the Kills, and from thence with several Friends went to New York, where we had three Meetings to our Edification, the Weather still remaining extreamly cold, but we felt the Love of Chriff to warm our Hearts, and tho' I think I never felt it colder, I never had my Health better. Several Friends accompanied ųs to the Boat at New-York, the Water being open on that Side, we took our Leave of each other, and put out for the other Shore ; but before we got there we were blocked up in the Ice, and it was a considerable Time before we could work our way through, but at last got well on Long-Thand, where I waited fome Hours for Company, who through some Difficulty got on Shore ; after which we went to the Narrows through a Ştorm of Wind and Snow, but the Wind being high we could not get over that Night, nor the next Day, the Ice having come down and filled the Bay: When the Tide had drove away the Ice, we put out and gof

well

Newe.
York.

well over, and lodged at the Ferry-House on Stater- 1725.

Ffland. Next Morning we went to the Ferry at the
Blazing-Star, over-against Woodbridge, but it was allt
fastened with Ice, and we not daring to venture over it,
went to the Ferry at Amboy, and got comfortably over, Amboy.
stay'd there that Night, and next Day went to Tren-Trentono
ton, and lodged at Capt. Gould's, who treated me very
kindly, I being much tired with Travelling. Next
Morning I went over Delaware River on the Ice (as
we had also the Day before at Rariton) and that Day,
being the 5th of the Twelfth Month, I got safe Home Prarkferr.
to my loving Spouse and tender Children, where I
found all well, and a hearty Reception, having trá-
velled 600 Miles, and attended above 60 Meetings.

After having been at Home, and at our own Meet-
ing at Frankfort, I went to the Quarterly-meeting at
Philadelphia, where Friends were glad to see me.

On the next Fifth-day I was at the Marriage of Thomas Masters and Hannah Dickinson, where were many sober People, not of our Society.

Having been lately among Friends at Long-Isand, and been comforted in the many Opportunities we had together, it came into my Mind to visit them with an Epistle at their Quarterly-Meeting at Flushing, which was as followeth.

Frankforl, 12th Month 1725:

B

My dear and well beloved Friends,
ELIEVING it might be acceptable to you An Epiftle

to hear that I was got well to my Habitation in to Fiends such a difficult Time of the Year as I set out from Island.

you in ; and also feeling the sweet Influence of the
<divine Love of the heavenly Father, and his dear
“Son our Lord Jesus Christ, to arise and spring in my
« Heart and flowing towards you:

It came into my Mind to write a few Lines to the
Quarterly-meeting of Friends at Flushing, by way of

6 Epistle,

M 4

1725. Epistle, well knowing also that 'many of us are vas Epistles writ in one anothers Hearts by the hea« venly Finger of the most High ; and those Charac

ters of divine Love so written will not easily be erased: • I could willingly have been at your Quarterly• meeting, but that I had been so long from my

Family, that I was much wanted therein, and my

coming Home was seasonable and acceptable, both • to them and my friends, and I humbly thank the

Lord, I found all well. Now that which is on my • Mind to your Quarterly-meering, is after this Man

ner, concerning the Government of the Church of < Chrift, of which Church He is the holy Head and

Lawgiver : Wherefore we are to seek and wait for
• Counsel and Wisdom from him, in all our Monthly
• and Quarterly.meetings, for the well-ordering of
• our little Society, which is growing and increasing
« in the Earth, and also in your Iand (notwithstand-
• ing the invidious Attempts of some Men of corrupt
• Minds) and it will grow and increase more and more,

as we keep our Places, our heavenly Places in Christ
Jesus.

Dear Friends, the good Order of Truth and Go-
vernment of Christ in his Church, is a great Help
" to us and our Children, when carried on in Christ's

Spirit (pray observe or mind that] for if our Order,

and Church-Government, be carried on in the Spirit ¢ of Man (as he is meer Man) though he is never so • crafty or cunning, it will do more Hurt than Good - in the Church of Christ. Chrift's Spirit must go

vern Christ's Church; and when, and where that • is over all, then, and there, Christ's Church and

Kingdom is exalced, of whose Kingdom and Peace

there will be no End ; and happy will all those be, “whose End is in it. Moses, that Man of God, gos verned in the Jewish Church in the Spirit of God, and « when he found the Work too heavy for him, the Lord put his Spiric on Seventy more, who were

Help