I had never been born, or my Mother's Womb had 1695. been my Grave, than that I fhould live to difhonour Thee, or wilfully reproach the Name of Chrift, who, with the Father, is only worthy of divine Honour.

In this Concern I felt the Gofpel Power of our Lord Jefus Chrift to work upon my Soul, and the Word of God was as a Seed in my Heart, growing and opening in me, fpeaking to me, and making my Understanding fruitful in the Things of his Kingdom; and in that Ability which was given me of God, through his Grace and holy Spirit, I exhorted People to Repentance and Amendment of Life; and I always humbly defir'd the Help and divine Influence of God's eternal Word therein. Oh! I did fervently pray, that I might minifter the Gospel in the Power of Jefus ; for I clearly difcern'd in the Light of the Son of God, that all Miniftring out of Chrifl's Power, was neither editying nor efficacious unto Souls: Therefore I did earnestly befeech God for the Continuance of the Gift of his Spirit, that I might be enabled to preach the Gospel in the Power of Chrift Jefus. The Concern that was upon me on this Account at that Time, is hard to be. exprefs'd in Words.

The latter End of the Year 1695, my Father fent me into Effex, on fome Business, which, when I had accomplished, I vifited fome Meetings of Friends there, and my Mind being much affected with the Apprehenfion of an impending Storm, (the Nation being about this Time threatened with an Invafion from France, in favour of the late King James, fo that there was Expectation of much Bloodthed and Confufion in the Land) I wrote a Letter to my Parents, and another to Friends of the Evening-meeting (kept Weekly at my Father's Houfe) expreffing my great Thankfulnes to the Almighty, in Remembrance of the many precious Vifitations of divine Love and Favour we had been made Partakers of, to the uniting our Hearts to him, and to one another; and my earnest Prayers.

1695. and Supplications, that we might be preserved in true Love, and the Unity of the Spirit, which is the Bond of everlasting Peace, and that the World might be made fenfible of this true Peace, which abounds in those who love and fear the Lord, and truly believe in the Name of Jefus. Ob! furely they would then depart from Sin, and abandon Iniquity, by which they incur the Wrath of the Lord, and provoke the just One to Anger; fo that the Line of Confufion feems to be Stretched over the City and Nation, and the Eye of the Faithful feeth it to the Grief of their Souls. Yet the Mercy of the Lord, even of the just God (who will render a juft Reward to every one according to his Deeds done in the Body) is fill banded forth to the Land. Ob that the Inhabitants thereof would confider their Ways, and be wife, and turn to the Lord with unfeigned Repentance, while the Day of Mercy lafteth, before it be faid, Now it is hid from thine Eyes, for the Lord, even the God and Father of Spirits, bath faid, My Spirit fhall not always ftrive with Man, for that he also is Flesh, Gen. vi. 3.

1696.

On the Expiration of my Apprenticeship, having ferved my Father faithfully feven Years, I entered more strongly into Covenant with my heavenly Father and Master, to serve him all my Days, thro' his Affistance; and was foon after drawn forth, in the Spirit and Love of Chrift, to vifit the Meetings of Friends Weftward from London, viz. thro' Surry, Suffex, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Devonshire, and Cornwall, to the Land's End; in which Journey I was accompanied by William Hornould. At one of our Meetings at Falmouth in Cornwall, two Men (called Gentlemen) came from the Inn to hear the Strangers; and after Meeting, they said they could take their Oaths that I was a Jefuit, and that they had heard me preach in a Romilh Chapel in France; which was utterly false: For I never was in France in my Lite: Befides, had I

been

been a Papift, or popifbly inclin'd (which I was not) 1696. I was too young to be a Jefuit.

Indeed I thought I was mean for the Work of the Miniftry, but the good Remembrancer brought those Truths to my Remembrance, which ftrengthened me in the Work and Service of God. The Spirit breatheth where it lifteth; Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected Praife, &c. We having great Peace in our Labours in this Journey, and being edify'd therewith, return'd to London, after about four Months Abfence from Home.

And after I had been two Weeks at Home, my dear 1697. Mother departed this Life, in a fweet Frame of Spirit, praifing the Lord. She was one who lived the Life London., of the Righteous, and whofe latter End was like theirs, and left a good Report behind her, being well beloved (I think I may safely fay) by all our Neighbours; not only by thofe of our own Society, but others alfo, to to whom the was often very helpful.

So I went to my Calling, and got a little Money, (a little being enough) which I was made willing to fpend freely, in the Work and Service of my great Mafter Chrift Jefus. And about this Time I was concerned to travel into the North of England, and Part of Scotland, which I did in that Ability God gave me ; and that Difpenfation which I had freely received, I freely handed forth to the People, devoting my Strength and Time to ferve him (that had done fo much for me) and I had the Satisfaction to find divers confeffing the Truth, as it is in Jefus. In this Journey I was from Home about four Months, being moftly alone as to any Yoke-fellow in that Work, travelling many Hundreds of Miles, being as far as Edinburgh, in Scotland, Edinburg where our Meeting was in the Street, we being lock❜d out of our Meeting-house by the then Power, and great Numbers of People were there. This News being carried to the Provost of the City, he said, The Quakers would do more Hurt out of Doors, than

B 3

within,

1697. within, and he ordered Friends their Key Since. which I have understood that Friends in that City have. enjoyed their Meetings in the Meeting houfe; and fometimes when the Rabble have disturbed Friends, the Magiftrates have fent Officers to difperfe them.

London.

Deal.

*. Sca.

Now after I had visited the Churches of Chrift in divers Parts of England, and had many fweet Seafons of God's Love, and good Opportunities with my Friends and others in this Nation; (the Word of Life. being declared in the Simplicity of the Gofpel, in feveral Places People were very open-hearted, and received the Teftimony of it with Gladness.) And after I had been at my Father's, and at my Calling, a little after this North-country Journey, I found myfelf engaged in the Love of the Gofpel to vifit Friends in America; and having acquainted my Friends and Relations of my Mind (they being willing to give me up) in order for the Voyage, Friends of the Monthlymeeting gave me a Certificate, and I had another from the Meeting of Minifters in London.

My Father, and several other Friends with me, took Boat from London, and accompanied me to Gravesend, on the 21ft of the 10th Month 1697, and I went on board the Ship Jofiah, Thomas Lurting Mafter, and fail'd that Day from Gravesend, and got to the Downs the next Day, where we tarried fome Days for a fair Wind; in which Time feveral others that were concern'd in the fame Gospel-labour, came on board, viz. Thomas Turner, William Ellis, and Aaron Alkinfon. In about four Days Time the Wind was fair for us, and we fet Sail, and in a little Time we got out of Sight of the Land; foon after which the Wind was contrary, and we proceeded but a small Distance for feveral Weeks the Weather was rough and the Sea boisterous, fo that. with the Motion thereof, most of the Paffengers were Sick. In this Time we loft a Lad, that fell into the Sea (as he was drawing a Bucket of Water) and was drowned; the Ship running fwiftly, he could not be

faved, although it was speedily endeavoured. Several 1697.` others died before we got over; but for the most Part we were healthful. The Lord be prais'd, he was, is, and will be, with those that faithfully ferve him to the End.

We were three Ships in Company, bút by Distress of Weather, foon after we came out, we parted, After we had been at Sea about eight Weeks (on the 25th of the 12th Month) we saw two Veffels aftern of us. One of them came up with us, and the People haled us, and told us they came from Bristol, and had been out ten Weeks. The other came up with us next Day, The People informed us they had been at Sea feven Weeks, and that they had a dreadful Time of it, She had loft Part of her Topmaft, and her Spritfail Topmaft was gone. She was a new Ship, and never at Sea before, belonging to London, and bound for Virginia, as near as we could underftand: Our Ship loft none of her Tackling, thro' the great Mercy of God to us, tho' the Wind and Sea was wonderful high at Times; the Mate told me, I might go to Sea all my Life, and not fee the like; he faid he had been at, or used the Sea, twenty Years, and never faw it so rough and high before. We had Meetings twice a Week, feveral of which were comfortable and refreshing Meetings, to which most of the Paffengers, being in all about Sixty in Number, fometimes came; and feveral of them were affected with the Senfe of Truth, and the Lord ftrengthened our Faith and Hope in him.

Oh for ever bleffed be the living and eternal God, who kept my Soul above the Fear of Death, Hell, and the Grave; for my Trust was in him, and he did bear up my Spirit above the Waves of the Sea; and in the Time of Toffing with Tempefts, I was comforted and chearful, praifing the Lord in my Heart, both in the Day Time, and in the Night Seafon: I was much concerned in my Mind, for many of the Paffengers, who with the fecond Mate, and feveral of B 4

the