my confcience; for fuch it was. And, fome time after this, a young man, of our society, fpoke to me to write a conveyance of a flave to him, he having lately taken a negro into his houfe: I told him I was not easy to write it; for, though many of our meeting and in other places kept flaves, I ftill believed the practice was not right, and defired to be excufed from the writing. I spoke to him in good will; and he told me that keeping slaves was not altogether agreeable to his mind; but that the flave being a gift to his wife, he had accepted of her.

9

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

His firft journey, on a religious vifit, into EafJerfey, in company with Abraham Farrington-His thoughts on merchandizing, and his learning a trade-His fecond journey, with Ifaac Andrews, into Pennfylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. — His third journey, with Peter Andrews, through part of Weft and Eaft Jerfey-Some account of his fifter Elizabeth, and her death-His fourth journey, with Peter Andrews, through New-York and Long-Ifland, to New-Eng land-And his fifth journey, with John Sykes, to the eastern shore of Maryland, and the lower counties on Delaware.

t

MY

Y esteemed friend, Abraham Farrington, being about to make a vifit to friends on the eaftern fide of this province, and having no companion, he proposed to me to go with him; and, after a conference with fome elderly friends, I agreed to go: we set out the fifth day of the ninth month, in the year 1743; had an evening-meeting at a tavern in Brunfwick, a town in which none of our fociety dwelt; the room was full, and the people quiet. Thence to Amboy, and had an evening meeting in the court-houfe; to which many people came, amongst whom were feveral members of the affembly, they being in town on public affairs of the proC 2

vince:

vince in both thefe meetings my ancient companion was enlarged to preach, in the love of the gofpel. Thence we went to Woodbridge, Raway, and Plainfield; and had fix or seven meetings in places where meetings of friends are not ufually held, being made up chiefly of prefbyterians; and my beloved companion was frequently ftrengthened to publish the word of life amongst them: as for me, I was often filent; and, when I fpake, it was with much care, that I might speak only what truth opened: and I learned fome profitable leffons. We were out about two

weeks.

Near this time, being on fome outward bufinefs in which feveral families were concerned, and which was attended with difficulties, fome things relating thereto not being clearly flated, nor rightly understood by all, there arose some heat in the minds of the parties, and one valuable friend got off his watch; I had a great regard for him, and felt a strong inclination, after matters were fettled, to speak to him concerning his conduct in that case: but I being a youth, and he far advanced in age and experience, my way appeared difficult; but, after fome days deliberation, and inward feeking to the Lord for affiftance, I was made fubject; fo that I expreffed what lay upon me in a way which became my youth and his years: and, though it was a hard task to me, it was well taken, and, I believe, was useful to us both.

Having now been feveral years with my employer, and he doing lefs at merchandize than heretofore, I was thoughtful of some other way of bufinefs; perceiving merchandize to be attended with much cumber, in the way of trading in these parts.

My mind, through the power of truth, was in a good degree weaned from the defire of outward greatnefs, and I was learning to be content with real conveniences, that were not ceftly; fo that a way of life, free from much entanglement, appeared beft for me, though the income might be fmall. I had feveral offers of bufinefs that appeared profitable, but did not fee my way clear to accept of them; as believing the bufinefs propofed would be attended with more outward care than was required of me to engage in.

1

I faw that a humble man, with the bleffing of the Lord, might live on a little: and that where the heart was fet on greatness, fuccefs in bufinefs did not fatisfy the craving; but that commonly, with an increase of wealth, the defire of wealth increased. There was a care on my mind fo to pafs my time, that nothing might hinder me from the most steady attention to the voice of the true Shepherd.

My employer, though now a retailer of goods, was by trade a taylor, and kept a fervant-man at that bufinefs; and I began to think about learning the trade, expecting that, if I should fettle, I might, by this trade and a little retailing of goods, get a living

in a plain way, without the load of great bufinefs I mentioned it to my employer, and we foon agreed on terms; and then, when I had leifure from the affairs of merchandize, I worked with his man. I believed the hand of Providence pointed out this bufinefs for me; and was taught to be content with it, though I felt, at times, a difpofition that would have fought for fomething greater: but, through the revelation of Jefus Chrift, I had feen the happiness of humility, and there was an earneft defire in me to enter deep into it; and, at times, this defire arofe to a degree of fervent fupplication, wherein my foul was fo environed with heavenly light and confolation, that things were made easy to me which had been otherwife.

After fame time, my employer's wife died; fhe was a virtuous woman, and generally beloved of her neighbours: and, foon after this, he left shopkeeping, and we parted. I then wrought at my trade, as a taylor; carefully attended meetings for worship and difcipline; and found an enlargement of gofpel-love in my mind, and therein a concern to vifit friends in fome of the back-fettlements of Pennfylvania and Virginia; and, being thoughtful about a companion, I expreffed it to my beloved friend, Ifaac Andrews, who then told me that he had drawings to the fame places; alfo to go through Maryland, Virginia, and Carolina. After confiderable time past, and feveral conferences with him, I felt eafy to accompany him throughout, if way opened

for