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wonderfully opened to the people.

If I should be particular in the account of these journies, it would enlarge this part of my journal more than I am willing.

In Virginia I had a meeting at James river, where a priest of the church of England, with some of his hearers, made some opposition, after our meeting was over, and were for disputing about religion; and he openly declared, The Spirit was not his guide, nor rule; and he hoped, never should be: but he said, the Scriptures were his rule, and that there was no need of any other ; and that they were as plain as Gunter's line, or as 1, 2, 3. I told him, the Scriptures were a good secondary rule, and that it were well if men would square their lives according to their directions; which we, as a people, exhorted all to: but that the Holy Spirit, from which the holy Scriptures came, must needs be preferable to the letter that came from it; and without which Holy Spirit, the letter kills, as saith the apostle. I also asked him, How he, or any else, without the light, or influence of the Holy Spirit, could understand the Scriptures, which were parabolically and allegorically expressed, in many places? And further, to use his own expression, How could any understand Gunter's line, without Gunter's knowledge; or, without they were taught by Gunter, or some other? Neither can we be the sons of God, without the Spirit of God. Which he answered not, but went away.

In New-England, one Joseph Metcalf, a Presbyterian teacher at Falmouth, wrote a book, entitled, "Legal forcing a Maintenance for a Minister of the Gospel, warrantable from Scripture," &c. Which book a friend of Sandwich gave me, and desired I would answer it; which, after finding some exercise on my mind, for the cause of truth, I was willing to undertake; and accordingly wrote an answer thereto, which I called, "Forcing a Maintenance, not warrantable from the holy Scriptures, for a Minister of the Gospel." In which I endeavoured to set the texts of Scripture in a true light, which he had darkened and misrepresented by his chimerical doctrines.

In this year 1713, I went from Philadelphia, in the Hope galley, John Richmond master, for South Carolina. We were about a month at sea; and when it pleased God that we arrived at Charleston, in South-Carolina, we had a meeting there, and divers others afterwards. There are but few Friends in this province; yet I had several meetings in the country: the people were generally loving, and received me kindly. What I had to declare to them, I always desired to speak to the witness of God in the soul, and according to the pure doctrine of truth in the holy Scriptures; and there was openness in the people in several places. I was several times to visit the governor, who was courteous and civil to me. He said, I deserved encouragement, and spoke to several to be generous, and contribute to my assistance. He meant

an outward maintenance; for he would have me encouraged to stay among them. But I told him, that though it might be a practice with them to maintain their ministers, and pay them money for preaching, it was contrary to our principles to be paid for preaching, agreeably to the command of our great Master, Christ Jesus, who said to his ministers, "Freely ye have received, freely give:" so that we are limited by his words, whatever others are: and those who take a liberty, contrary to his doctrine and command, I think, must be Antichrists, according to holy Scripture. The longer I staid there, the larger our meetings were; and when I found myself free and clear of those parts, I took my passage for Virginia in a sloop, Henry Tucket master. I had a comfortable and quick passage to James river, it being about two hundred leagues. The master of the vessel told me, that he believed he was blessed for my sake. I wished him to live so as that he might be blessed for Christ's sake. And some reformation was begun. on him in our voyage; which was the goodness of God, through Christ, to him, and not to be attributed to me, any further than an instrument in the Divine hand: for of ourselves we cannot do any thing that is good, it being by grace, through faith, that we are saved; which is God's gift to the soul.

After I had been some time in Virginia, I got a passage up the bay of Chesapeak, and had severaľ meetings in Maryland, Friends being glad to see

me; and we were comforted in Christ our Lord. I made some little stay at a place I had in that province, called Longbridge, and then returned * to Philadelphia, where I lodged at the house of my very kind friends Richard and Hannah Hill; and was oftentimes at divers neighbouring meetings; and sometimes had good service therein.

About this time I had an inclination to alter my condition of being a widower, to a married state; and the most suitable person that 1, with some of my good friends, could think upon, was Martha, the widow of Joseph Brown: and on the 15th of the second month, 1714, we were joined together in marriage, with the unity of Friends in general. We had a large meeting at our marriage, the solemnization thereof being attended with the grace and goodness of God; and, for example-sake, we made but little provision for our guests: for great entertainments at marriages and funerals, began to be a growing thing among us, which was attended with divers inconveni

ences.

My wife was a sober and religious young woman, and of a quiet natural temper and disposition; which is an excellent ornament to the fair sex and indeed it is so both to male and female; for according to the holy Scriptures, A meek and quiet spirit is with the Lord of great price.

The first child we had I called Abigail (or the father's joy, as the word signifies) and while she lived, I had joy and comfort in her, even more

than I could expect, her age considered; for she lived but about eighteen months, yet in that time gave frequent proofs of an uncommon capacity, and dropped such extraordinary expressions, that I have said to her mother, "This child is too ripe for heaven to live long on earth, therefore let us not set our hearts upon it." And I have thought, that in this child, the saying of Christ was fulfilled, even in the letter of it, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise." Mat. xxi. 16.

I was at divers yearly-meetings in 1715, viz. at Choptank in Maryland; at Shrewsbury and Salem in New Jersey; all which meetings were very large and comfortable, many things being opened therein, tending to the convincing and establishing the people in the truth and doctrine of Christ. I was likewise at divers other meetings in those provinces; which were large and satisfactory.

At Salem yearly-meeting I was sent for to the prison, where there was a young woman that was to be tried for her life. She desired that I would pray for her, and charged me to warn the young people to be careful not to keep bad company: "For," said she, "it has been my ruin, and brought me to this shame and reproach." She had been tenderly brought up and educated; I knew her when she wore a necklace of gold chains, though now she wore iron ones: upon which subject I had afterwards a large opportunity to

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