filent and dull for a long time; after which mỹ mouth was opened in the pure gofpel fpring, and the meeting continued fome confiderable time longer, in a very open and relieving manner; the nature of gospel worship and of all real gospel miniftry, being largely opened to the people-may it faften as a nail in a fure place. Oh how I have mourned before the Lord, under a sense of the death and formality which reigns in Christendom ! for want of waiting for divine help, and through pufhing forward in man's time and ability, which brings forth but a form of godliness and devotion, without the life and power of it. Qn 1ft-day the 31st, I had a very large and highly favoured meeting at Third-Haven, among the inhabitants of the town, many of whom had not been at any of the preceding meetings there. Gofpel light fhined eminently among us, and I hope and believe inftruction was fealed on fome minds prefent; in a manner not eafily to be erased.-The two next days we had meetings at Choptank and Marfhy-Creek, both precious feafons after long waiting, The two days following thefe, we were at meeting with the Nicholites (fo called) at two of their meeting-houfes; and, after long and painful waiting, I laboured among them, I hope to the benefit of fome of their fouls. After this we went into Delaware ftate, and had meetings at our friend Baptis Lay's at Cold Spring, Lewis-Town, Three-Runs, Mother-kill, Frederico, and Mother-kill again. We were helped through to profit and relief in them all; though mostly in a way much to the fubjection of our own creaturely wills. Oh! what need there is to lie low, and rife only as the pure life arifes, left we be found offering ftrange fire, or lifting up a tool on the Lord's altar.-Contentment in a lowly ftate, and moving moving on gently in the real neceffity, is highly acceptable to him without whom we can do nothing. Here we acknowledge his might, his right to command even faithfulness in the little, which fails not if we rightly obey, to make us, in his own time, rulers over much; and fometimes to our own great adıniration.-Indeed it was fo in feveral of these meetings that at Lewis-Town and that at Frederico being times of high favour: the people were moftly not of our fociety, no meeting of Friends being ufually held at either place. Alfo the meetings at Mother-kill were in the end, seasons of enlargement, though through difficulty, hard labour, and clofe inward attention; efpecially the last, wherein the Lord eminently evinced to us, beyond all room for doubt, that when he opens, none can fhut-for he did remarkably both fhut and open,* and even before he opened the way in full clearness, he brought us under a neceffity of labouring in the little, wherein dear Mary Berry, a fkilful labourer, was made victorious; but we both found, that, move ever so carefully and gently, as in the real neceffity, it was not for a long feafon the Lord's time or will to open fully or give us to reign: the feed was under fuffering, and we must fuffer with it, and did very deeply and painfully, and laboured in great bowednefs and abafement.But bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, in his own time ever beft, he marvelloufly arofe-opened the way with clearnefs then all that was oppofed proved unable to fhut it. We then had meetings at Dover and Little Creek, both highly favoured; at the clofe of that at Little Creek, I had to part with my faid friend Mary Berry, Richard Bartlet, his wife a worthy friend, and John Dickenson; a tender parting it was, not eafily to be forgotten-may the Lord hold them, *Rev. iii. 7. and and my own foul, in his holy hand for ever!--On 2d-day the 14th, we were at Duck-Creek; 3d-day at Appoquinamink; 4th, at White-Clay Creek; 5th, at Wilmington-all good open meetings-the two firft very relieving-in the two last relief was obtained through close attention and creaturely fubjection. I then went to Philadelphia.-On firstday the 20th, I attended, in the forenoon, the meeting at Pine- Street; afternoon at the Bank, and in the evening at Market-Street.-On 2d-day the felect morning meeting; 3d-day monthly meeting at the Bank; 4th-day the monthly meeting at PineStreet; 5th-day preparative meeting at MarketStreet, where alfo was a marriage; and on 6th-day the monthly meeting of Friends belonging to MarketStreet meeting. My mind was deeply baptized into fympathy with the fuffering feed in all these meetings-but as I was favoured and enabled to keep in the life, and attentive to the openings thereof, I got relief from day to day, in a line of close plain dealing, which was to me very laborious; to fome prefent very alarming; and to others greatly confolating and encouraging. And now, finding my mind greatly relieved from a heavy weight of exercife, I had to behold the great danger of taking my flight on a day of rest and pleafantnefs. Oh, how careful ought we to be in all our words and actions, left, feeling cafe and liberty in our minds, we tranfgrefs the holy limits and boundaries of Truth; offend fome of the little ones; and wound our own fouls! Oh, thou only preferver of men, preferve me, I pray thee, in a humble watchful ftate, with mine eye fingle to thy holy light, both in heights and depths, henceforth for ever. Amen. On 7th-day the 27th, I left the city, and rode to Byberry, to the house of that deeply experienced minifter minifter of the gospel James Thornton, whom I much loved and honoured-his health was ill, but I felt him to be alive in the everlasting truth; I felt near and dear unity with him in the inward covenant of divine life, where I faw and felt him hid with Chrift in God; grown up to the stature of a man in Chrift, and into the heavenly authority and establishment, as a pillar in the temple of God, that fhall go no more out-I was much edified by his converfation, and judicious unaffected remarks. -Oh! that my latter end may be like his !-Next day I attended the meeting at faid Byberry, and being livingly opened into the state of things among them, and helped to discharge my mind in Truth's holy authority, I felt great relief and fatisfaction.And the day following, having spent a little more time with my dear friend James Thornton, and vifited his fon Jofeph, a choice young man, but very low, and likely before long to finish his courfe here, I parted with them in fulness of gospel endearment, and rode to Wrightftown, where next day I had an open precious time at their monthly meeting. Then went home with my dear friend John Simpfon, who, having been on a religious vifit in New-England fince I left home, had kindly vifited my dear wife and family, to his own, and I doubt not to their fatisfaction and comfort. Next day the 4th of the week and third of the month, I went to fee my kind friend Thomas Smith and his family, of Buckingham, where, and at whofe house, my dear former companion Jofeph Mitchel was fick and died. We were glad to fee each other; and Thomas kindly rode with me to Kingwood, in Weft New-Jersey, over the river Delaware, where, on fifth-day, I had a good refreshing meeting-and another on 6th day at our friend Jofeph Moore's, to a degree of fatisfaction.. Then I returned to Kingwood, parting with Thomas at Jofeph Jofeph Moore's. I ftaid at Kingwood (not being clear) until after the meeting on firft-day the 7th of the month; an open, large, and enlarged meeting it was, to my great relief, and I truft to the lafting benefit of divers others. I then had meetings on third-day at Hardwick, and fifth day at Mendham-in both Truth wrought relief and enlargement. And feeling clear of thefe parts, I went to New-York, where, on firft-day the 14th, my mind and mouth were livingly opened which had never been the cafe in that city before, filence having always been my lot when there; but now my tongue was loofed, though in a close and fomewhat alarming manner, yet greatly to my own peace, both fore and afternoon-after which was held, by appointment, an evening meeting; it was large, and dear Ifaac Everett, of Pennfylvania, now on his return from a religious vifit into New-England, was livingly opened and favoured in this evening. meeting.I also had a few words in this meeting, and then felt clear of the city. But dear Ifaac appointed another meeting next day I ftaid and attended it he was helped to declare deep truths in Truth's authority-and the defire of my heart was, and is, that they may be duly regarded. On 3d-day I left the city, and was the next day at monthly meeting at Westbury on Long-lfland; 5th-day at the monthly meeting at Jericho; 6th-day at meeting at Martinicock; 7th-day at Cow-Neck; first day at Weftbury again; and on 2d-day at Bethphage-on the whole being greatly relieved in fpirit after thefe meetings, wherein I had known much fubjection of the creaturely will, I found my mind quite clear and eafy and fo, taking a hearty farewell of my dear friends on the Ifland, I fet out for New-England, and got home to my dear wife and family on 7th-day, the 27th of faid third month. And being thankful in heart in finding them in : u{ual |