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pline, Friends were exhorted to keep to the cross of Christ, and to speak to matters in the fear of God, and to avoid and shun, as much as in them lay, self-will, humour, pride, and passion; shewing that the rough, crooked, unhewn, unpolished nature of man, could never work the righteousness of God, and is contrary to the meek, self-denying life of Jesus. John Salkeld, and Jacob Howell, then signified that they were going to visit Friends in Long-Island and Rhode-Island; the sense of the call, labour, and work of the ministry of the gospel, and of the love of Christ (in the freeness of it) to mankind, took some good hold on divers in that meeting; and the great name of God, and his dear Son, through the holy Spirit, was glorified.

From this meeting I came home, having been out on this journey near three weeks, at twenty meetings, and travelled more than 200 miles, and found my wife and children in health, and we rejoiced to see each other; but my rejoicing was in fear, even almost to trembling, lest I should be too much lifted up when things were agreeable to

me.

After my return home, I went to several neighbouring meetings; and on a Fifth-day was at Philadelphia, at the marriage of Richard Smith and Elizabeth Powell. The meeting was large, and the marriage solemnly celebrated; and the people were earnestly entreated to love Christ above all, and to manifest that love by keeping

his commandments, and that not in shew or word only, but in the heart and affections.

About the latter end of the third month, I went to the quarterly-meeting of ministers and elders for the county of Burlington; and from thence to Stony-Brook; where, on a First-day, we had a large meeting, in Joseph Worth's barn, which was crowded with people, and was a solid, good meeting. From Stony-Brook I went to Croswicks, and was at their youths meeting, which was the largest I had ever seen in that place. I told them that they might say as the sons of the prophets did, That the place was too strait for them, and advised them to enlarge it. I was glad to see such a large appearance of sober people, and so great an increase of youth, in this wilderness of America, and exhorted them to live in the fear of God, that his blessings might still be continued to them; and an exercise was on my mind for the welfare of the young people, to shew them the danger of sin and vanity, and of keeping ill company, and following bad counsel; and that the young king Rehoboam (Solomon's son) lost the greater part of his father's kingdom, by following the company and counsel of vain young men; and that many young men in this age had lost and spent the estates their fathers had left them by the like conduct, and brought themselves to ruin, and their families to poverty and want. Divers lively testimonies were delivered in this meeting, and it ended with adoration and praise of Al

mighty God; and though the meeting held more than four hours, the people did not seem willing to go away when it was over: for indeed it was a solid, good meeting. The business of the quarterly-meeting was carried on in peace and love, (that being the mark the disciples of Jesus were to be known by,) and Friends were exhorted with a great deal of tenderness to keep that mark.

In this journey I travelled about ninety miles, and was at four meetings, being from home four days, and was much satisfied in my journey; but met with some exercise when I came home, hearing of some losses and damage to my estate; so that I found after I had, according to my best endeavours, done the will of God, I had need of patience, that I might receive the promise. I was sensible of the messenger of Satan, the thorn in the flesh, which the apostle speaks of.

About this time a loving friend of mine informed me, that one whom I very well knew in Barbadoes, a minister of our society, had gone into an open separation, so as to keep meetings separate from his brethren, and contrary to their advice. I was concerned in love to write a few lines to him, to remind him of the unhappy state and end of such, who, notwithstanding the brotherly love and kind treatment of Friends, had separated from us; and losing the sense of truth, which had made them serviceable in the church, were actuated by a rending, dividing spirit, by which the enemy of our happiness had so far obtained his

end, as to make some disturbance for a time; but few, if any, of these separatists, have had further power than to promote and maintain their separate meetings during their own lives; such meetings having, in every instance I have known except one, and that lasted not long, dropped on the death of the founders. And though we think it our duty to testify against, and disown, all such; yet this disowning is only until the persons offending, from a real sense of, and sorrow for, their faults, acknowledge and condemn the same; then the arms of Christ, and of his church, are open to receive and to embrace them. I therefore earnestly besought him to consider the danger of offending any who love and believe in Christ, though never so little in their own or other mens esteem; for we cannot have true peace in departing from the pure love of God, his truth, and people; to which I added the following sentences out of the New Testament.

1. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another," John xiii. 35 -(Do not lose this mark.)

2. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death." 1 John iii. 14.

3. "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love," iv. 8.

4. "He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” — 16.

About the latter end of the fourth month I was at a meeting at Abingdon, occasioned by a burial; and in the beginning of the Fifth month, I was at a marriage in Philadelphia; and was soon after, on the First-day, at two meetings at German-Town, where I went to visit a Friend, who had not for some months been at meeting, being in a disconsolate condition. I invited her to meeting, where the love and goodness of Christ to the poor in spirit was largely manifested; and the Friend after meeting said she was better, and afterwards recovered, and kept to meetings. I was frequently at the week-day meetings at Philadelphia; for I thought that week not well spent, in which I could not get to week-day meetings, if I was in health.

In this month I was at the burial of George Calvert, who was one of a sober life, and just conversation; and being well-beloved by his neighbours, he left a good report behind him. Soon after which I was at Merion meeting, which was large and solid: the people were tenderly exhorted, that neither outward favours, nor spiritual blessings, might make them grow forgetful of God; but that in the sense of the increase and enjoyment thereof, they might be the more humble; and forasmuch as the Christian church in former ages was corrupted by temporal riches and power, it was intimated, that as we had favour shewn us from the government, and increase of outward things, we should be very careful not to

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