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1728.

At Sea.

As I now found it continue my Business to go to Sea for a Livelihood, I undertook the Charge of the Ship New Bristol Hope, as Mafter, tho' it was a Way of Living to which I did not incline; I took Care in our Veffel that there fhould be no Swearing in my Hearing, nor Drunkenness to my Knowledge, without Reproof, and if I could not be inftrumental that Way to break them from Swearing and drinking to Excefs, my Manner was, to put them away, fo that we gene rally had a pretty quiet Ship. We left Philadelphia the 13th of the Twelfth Month, but Storms and contrary Winds detained us in the River and Bay, fo that we did not get out to Sea till the 21ft of the faid Month, when the Pilot left us, by whom I wrote to my Wife and Family; and now I thought I felt the Benefit of the good Wishes of my beloved and dear Friends I left behind, which did me a great deal of Good, as it often hath done on the like Ŏccafion; for faithful Friends, and good Chriftians, are as Epistles written in one anothers Hearts.-In our Paffage we took several Dolphins, which were very welcome to us, we having a long Paffage, and our fresh Provifions near spent. The 19th of the First Month we faw the Barbadoes. Inland of Barbadoes, having had feveral Meetings on board the Ship in this Voyage, the good Effects I could fee but little of, only for that Day they would be a little more fober, and fome of them addicted to Swearing, did not fwear fo often as they did before. Speight's The Day following we fafely arrived at Speight's-Town, where we had the next Day a very comfortable Meeting for the divine Worship of God. The Fifth Day following I was at Bridge-town, at their Week-daymeeting; and next First-day (being the 30th of the Month) I was at a Meeting at Pumpkin-bill, where I was enlarged in the Doctrine of Faith.

Town.

Bridge
Town.

After this I went to the Bridge with a Friend from New-England; we had two good Meetings, it being the General-meeting for the Friends of the Ifland, and 28. afterwards

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afterwards I with feveral Friends went again to Speight's 1729. Town, and on the 12th of the Second Month, I was at the Thicket's-meeting, at which was Counsellor Weeks, Thicker'sColonel Charnock, and Juftice Sims; I dined with them meeting. at Judge Week's, and they difcourfed of what was faid in the Meeting about Dancing, I quoting Luther's Words, That as many Paces as the Perfon takes in the Dance, so many Paces or Steps they take towards Hell' And I told them, that I had heard feveral had ufed that vain Exercife in our Meetinghoufe, which was appointed for the Worship of God, and I said, I hoped for the future it would be so no more; two of those Perfons who danced in our Meeting-house, were then in the Meeting, tho' I did not know it. This Teftimony so wrought on the Colonel, that he faid, he could scarcely feel bis Legs fince I spoke it; and the Juftice faid, if thefe Words be true, be bad taken many Steps towards Hell, and the Counsellor and Judge faid, it was bome Doctrine to fome that were. there: Divers of them feemed to be touched with the Testimony of Truth, though not fo folidly as I defired. Soon after I went with Joshua Byrch to vifit the Governor of the Ifland, Colonel Worley, who treated us with much Freedom and Civility; he defired me to fit down by him, and then called for a Decanter of Wine, of which he kindly offered me a Glafs, but I told him I chiefly drank Water; he said Water is certainly the beft Drink in the World, and told me I was a Credit to my Drink, as I looked as well or better than most who drank Wine,

In the Second Month I was at a Meeting on a Firstday at Bridge-town, which was fomewhat larger than Bridge ufual; it was a good open Time in the Morning, but Tow more fo in the Afternoon. At this Meeting there was a Merchant of the Town, who fent to know if our Friends (he not being of our Profeffion) would make a Contribution for me, in confideration of my Loffes. He faid he would contribute as much as any, altho' he

had

1729.

had heard me only that one Time; but he was informed that we received no Money nor Pay for our Preaching; yet his Good-will I acknowledged.

The 4th of the Third Month I was at a Meeting at Spring: the Spring, where I met with Jofeph Gamble, and John Oxley and his Wife, and feveral others, not belonging to this particular Meeting, and we were edified together in the Love and Life of Chrift. I was concerned to speak of the divers Vifitations and Speakings of God to the People fince the World began; quoting the Words of holy Writ, That, God who Spake to the Fathers by the Prophets, speaks now in thofe laft Days by his Son, whom he bath appointed Heir of all Things: And that this Difpenfation is the last and brighteft Difpenfation of all, and is the greatest and moft glorious Manifeftation of God's Love to Mankind; and that befides this vocal Speaking of Chrift, when in the Body on Earth, he now fpeaks fpiritually; which spiritual Speaking of Christ, in and to the true Church, and true Believers, will out-laft Time, and endure to all Eternity; the great Lord of all, for his unfpeakable Benefit therein, was praised and glorified, as being alone worthy.

Speight's
Tou

I had divers other Meetings on the Ifland, which I' pafs by, not being willing to be prolix. After a Stay of about nine Weeks we propofed failing. Judge Gray, a very noted Man, and much efteemed among the People, took Paffage with us; alfo Joshua Byrch, of Bridge-Town, for his Health, and William Callender, and several others, as Merchants.-Though I came on Account of Trade, our Friends gave me a Certificate that I had good Service among them, and in my outward Affairs had gained Efteem among the People, as well as in my Service in preaching Chrift; all which I acknowledge to be the Effects of divine Grace: Divers Friends and Acquaintance came to the Sea-fhore at Speight's Town, and in a great deal of tender Chriftian Love, and good Defires, we took leave, and committed

committed one another to the Protection of the Al 1729. mighty. We had a comfortable Paffage, and arrived

at Philadelphia, where I was lovingly received by my Philadel Wife and Friends..

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In this Voyage a great and weighty Concern came on my Mind, on Account of the young and rifing Generation, defiring they might be happy in this World, and in that which is to come. And frft, as to this World, I have taken Notice, that divers of the Youth are too apt to waste their outward Subftance, which often is given to them (for when they get it themselves, they are for the most part more faving of it) and this wafting and spending, thofe Sparks call Generofity, Liberality, Good nature, Gentility, fine Breeding, and abundance of other fine Names, not confidering the Labour and Industry, Frugality, Care and Watchings, of their Parents or Ancestors, to get what they have. May Parents note this well, and not be anxioufly concerned to get much Wealth, which may be a Means to ruin their Pofterity! And truly moft of thefe fpending, drinking, Company-keeping, gaming, chatting, tippling Youngsters, take a great deal more Care, how they may get Money from others, that they may fpend it, than how to earn it, or faithfully labour for it themfelves; they will beg or borrow, and run in Debt, but take little or no folid Thoughts to pay; by which Means divers of thofe topping, beggarly Beaus, and Spenders, have brought both themfelves and Relations, Parents and Friends, to Shame and Difgrace, and fometimes to Poverty, where their Relations and Parents have been too liberal. Let all indulgent Parents note this alfo.

And if any concerned Perfon fhould advise thofe inconfiderate Youths of their Evils, 'tis much if they gain not their lafting Ill-will, and the Epithets of Niggards and Covetous, ill-natured, cenforious, four, morofe, &c. However I fhall venture to stand the

Shock

phia.

1729. Shock of their Difpleasure, and in as moving Terms as I can, confiftent with the Matter on my Mind, entreat them to confider the End of their fpending, flothful, idle Life (which if continued in) muft needs end in their Ruin, and they may repent when it is too late, crying out, Ob! that I had bearkened to the Advice of my Father, and my indulgent Mother! Ob! that I had taken the Counsel of my good Friends in Time, then I bad not been in this Condition, nor in thofe Straits I am now in. This, or worse, muft at last inevitably be the Condition of thofe unthinking Timewafting and Money-fpending, evil Company-keeping young People, of both Sexes. Some of whom, if they can get it, will fpend more in a few Hours, than their Parents can get in fo many Days, which is very unreasonable, as well as unthinking; for if the indulgent Parents do not hold their Hands, truly they must all fink together; and where the Parents have been, what thefe forts of Youths call liberal, whole Families have by fuch Liberality been undone, which is a Cafe to be lamented by all fober People.

I pray our fpending Youths to confider, how many brave, fine young Men and Women, whofe Parents have left them Eftates and handfome Incomes, have by fuch Extravagancies foon fpent all, and fometimes more than all, and Difgrace and a Goal have been their Portion; and how many, by living too faft, have died too foon, much fooner than might be expected, according to the Courfe of Nature.

Wherefore I would advise them to regard what the wife King Solomon faid, Go to the Ant thou Sluggard, confider ber Ways, and be wife; he gathereth her Food in the Summer (i. e. fhe prepares against the Winter) Though this may be defpicable in the Eyes of our fine Gentlemen, and learned fpending Wits, yet there appears more Wisdom in thefe little induftrious Animals, than in thofe great Spenders, who, in the Spring and Summer of their Years, take fo little Thought of

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