meek and quiet Spirit, that being of great Price with the 1736. Lord; great Evils having been known in many Ages, thro' hot and long Contentions about Religion. It is alfo good to avoid, in Matters of Difference, Respect of Perions, on account of being acquainted or related, fo as to be fway'd thereby from Juftice.

Fourthly, They were advised to be very careful of giving any juft Occafion of Offence to any, to Jew or Gentile, to Indian or Negroe; for, Woe to them, fays our Saviour, by whom Offences come; and if any will take Offence when none is juftly given, 'tis the best Way to be patient, and to take our Saviour for our Example, who got the Victory thro' Suffering; a safe Way, and glorious in the End. And, as to few Words, the Apostle fays, Let your Words be few and favoury, Seafon'd with Grace, that they may administer Grace to the Hearers.

Fiftbly, I was engaged, for the Sakes of the Youth of both Sexes, to fhew them, that a material Part of the Service of thefe Meetings, is, that Care be taken therein to fee that Perfons are clear of prior Engagé ments or Entanglements, in relation to Marriage, and that they had the Confent of Parents, or Parties concerned as Guardians, &c. and, alfo, that they, and all that belong to our Society, walk orderly in Converfation; otherwife they could not be in Unity with us, or owned by us, as a Society of religious People: We don't own fcandalous Perfons, nor admit them to be married amongst us, without acknowledging their Faults, and promifing Amendment for the future, through divine Grace and Affiftance. Also, in those Meetings, the Widows and Fatherlefs are taken Care of, that they may be fupported and vifited, and Youths put Apprentices to learn Trades, &c.

This Meeting concluded with Supplication for the rifing Generation, and for the King, and all his Subjects, and with Thanksgiving and Praises to the facred Name of Him who lives for ever.

After

1736. After the abovefaid Meeting, we went to Wilmington, a new settled Town on Christiana Creek, which I Wilmington believe will be a flourishing Place, if the Inhabitants take Care to live in the Fear of God, and feek his Glory, and the Riches of his Kingdom, preferring it to any Thing or Things of this World. We had a pretty large Meeting here, confidering the Seafon (for it was very cold) which was held in a large House of William Shipley's; but they are making Provifion for a Meeting-house. From this Town we went to Newark, and had a comfortable Meeting at George Robinfon's in the Evening, and next Morning fet out for Philadelphia.

Newark.

Philadel phia.

Derby:

Frankfort.

As it was now the Winter Season, and having been divers times at this Seafon of the Year in the warm Climates, the Cold was become harder for me to bear than ufual, fo that I ftaid in and about home pretty much, being divers times at Philadelphia, Frankfort, German-town, and Abington Meetings,

The latter End of the Tenth Month, on a Firstday of the Week, I was at a large, open Meeting at Derby, in Chefter County. After Meeting 1 rode home about 14 Miles; but it was fo cold, that my Limbs were much benumb'd, and were not fully recovered in more than a Week. Coming home between Schuylkill River and Philadelphia, we faw the largest Meteor that I ever faw, though I had feen many by Sea and Land; this was in Sight almoft a Minute, as near as I could guefs; it was a mighty Stream, like a Flame of Fire, leaving, as it were, Sparks of Fire behind it, as it went along, and then fettled like a Star, and difappeared. A few Days af ter this Meteor, there appear'd in the Sky an uncommon Redness, with Streams like Fire.

About this Time was buried at Frankfort, John Hurford, who was about ninety Years of Age; at whose Burial, the Coldness of the Seafon confidered, were a pretty many Friends, Neighbours, and Relations, of

the

the Deceased; as alfo, divers from Philadelphia. I 1736. was concern'd to advise those prefent, To prepare for their final Change; that being certain, though the Frankfort. Time is uncertain; which, generally, none know but the Almighty therefore we ought always to be preparing for our Diffolution, and always watching and praying, left we enter into Temptation; as faid our dear Lord, If the good Man of the Houfe had known in, what Hour the Thief would come, be would have watched, Luke xii. 39. And, we not knowing whether Death will come in our Youth, our middle, or old Age, therefore, were earnestly defired to prepare our Hearts to meet Death, fo that we might dwell with God and Chrift in his Kingdom for ever. It was also obferved, that though this Friend had lived to a great Age, yet that few lived fo long, no, not one in a Thoufand, and many die very young; therefore they were earnestly intreated, in the Love of God, through Chrift, to prepare for their latter End, and not to fet their Hearts and Affections on Things below; for, by how much they set their Hearts and Affections on natural or outward Things and Objects, by fo much the harder it would be to part with them, when Death fhould come. This Meeting ended with Prayer for Reformation and Prefervation to the End of Life; and Praifes, yea, high Praifes, were given to him, who had given to all prefent our Life, our Breath, and our Being.

It being exceeding fevere Weather, with much Rain, Wind, and Snow, there were great Floods, so that we could not get over Frankfort Creek to Meeting; wherefore the Friends on the Weft-fide met together at my House, and we had a fatisfactory, good Meeting, in which we were exhorted to build our Religion on the fure Foundation, that Storms, Rain, nor Winds, might not be able to fhake us from this Foundation, which is Chrift, the Rock of Ages.

d

1736.

This Winter we were vifited at Frankfort with the Small-pox, of which many died at Philadelphia, and Fankfort. feveral in our Neighbourhood.

The latter Part of this Winter, ftaying much at home, I spent my Time much in Reading and Writing, often being fenfible of the Love and Goodness of God, my exceeding great Reward; he, by the Spirit of his Son, comforting me, and fometimes melting my Heart into Tenderness, in Confideration of his many Mercies, which caufed me to praife his holy Name, who is thereof worthy, beyond Expreffion, for ever.

In the First Month, I went with my Friend John Briftol. Oxley, of Barbadoes, to Bristol, where we had a large Meeting; thence went over the River Delaware to Burlington. Burlington Quarterly-meeting; we were obliged to get to the Jersey Shore on the Ice, laying Boards thereon for about 100 Yards together, and being long on the Ice, and poorly, as to Health, I took fuch a Cold that I could not get to Meeting next Day; but was at the Youths-meeting Third day following-FourthAncocas. day I went to Ancocas Meeting, thence to a large Meeting at Mount-Holly, where was a Marriage; afEvesham, terwards to Evesham and Upper Springfield, or Hanover, and then returned to Burlington, and next Day Burlington. was at the Monthly-meeting there, which, to me, was a good, open Meeting, wherein Church-difcipline was fomewhat treated of, and Friends advised to wait for that Spirit which leads into all Truth, to guide them in their Difcipline.

Spring

field.

Cohanfy.

In the Second Month 1737, I went to Cobanfy, in 1737 order to negotiate fome Affairs there, and, while there, had three Meeting at Greenwich, and one at Alloway'sCreek; and on the 9th of the faid Month, being Firstday, was at Salem Meeting, which was large and open; and, in the Evening, we had a heavenly Meeting at Bartholomew Wyat's.

Salem.

After my Return from Salem, on the ift of the Third Month, I took a Journey to the Eastward,

Island.

having a Defire to fee Friends in thofe Parts, whom I 1737. had divers times vifited, in the Service of the Gofpel, in my young Years; and though now upwards of Three-fcore Years of Age, was willing to vifit them once more before I died, who, in fome Places, where I had formerly travelled, were now grown very nume rous. I fet out with Jofeph Gilbert, and feveral other Friends, and we travelled together to Long-Iland, Long where we parted, and I went to Newtown, where I met with John Fothergill and Samuel Browne; at which Place we had a Meeting, which was appointed on John's Account, and his Service therein was to the Satisfaction and Edification of Friends. From thence John went to West-Chester, on the Main, and I went to Flushing, Flushing, where we had a large open Meeting; it was a folid, good Time, and the facred Name of him who lives for ever, was praised.

From Flushing I went with my old Friend and School-fellow, Jofeph Latham, to his Houfe; our Converfation was pleafant and comfortable to each. other, wherein we remember'd our walking to and from School, in the Suburbs of that great and populous City, London; when we were beaten, ftoned, and abufed, only for being the Children of thofe called Quakers: The Priefts, who had. Money for Preaching, had preached and printed fo many Lies against our Friends, that the common People were almoft ready to make a Sacrifice of us; they telling us (when we pleaded our Innocency, by telling them, we went quietly along the Streets to School) that It was no more Sin to kill us, than to kill a Dog; But now, through the Grace and Favour of the Almighty, we enjoy the Exercite of our Religion, according to our Confciences, free from Goals and Prifons, in which our Primitive Friends fuffered much; for which we ought to be truly thankful to the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Christ.

From Jofeph Latham's we went to Wellbury and Westbury. Matinicock (after a Meeting at Cow neck) and after- Marinicock,

ward