concern to answer him as well as we could. He said he would have Mr. Keith to be with him. I told him if he should, and meddled in the dispute, if I was there, I should reject him for reasons before assigned. When the priest had said this and somewhat more, an elder of the Presbyterian congregation clapped him on the shoulder, and bid him sit down; so he was quiet, and then stood up George Keith, and owned he had been refreshed amongst us that day, and had heard a great many sound truths, with some errors, but that it was not the common doctrine which the Quakers preached.

I then stood up and said, I had something to say to obviate what George Keith would insinuate; for his drift was to infuse an opinion into them, that the Quakers did not commonly preach up faith in the manhood of Christ, as I had done that day. I appealed to the auditory, whether any thought there was a necessity frequently to press a matter so universally received among Christians, as faith in the manhood of Christ was: yet we, as a people, had so often and clearly demonstrated our faith in the manhood of Christ, both in our testimonies and writings, as might satisfy any unbiassed person, or such who were not prejudiced against us; and we know not of any people who believe more scripturally in the manhood of Christ than we do. But inasmuch as the grace, light, and Holy Spirit, is highly concerned in the work of man's salvation, as well as what Christ did for us without us, and this being yet much a mystery to many called Christians, it pleases God to open, in the course of our ministry, into the meaning and mystery thereof, and to press the latter more than the former. To which George made no reply, but began to exhibit his charges against us, and said he could prove them out of our Friends' books, naming George Fox and Edward Burrough, &c. He had in a paper a great many quotations out of Friends' books, and a young man with him had many books in a bag, out of which, he said he would prove the charges he was about to exhibit against us.

the Lord in his conscience. I spoke in the Lord's dreadful power, and George trembled so much as I seldom ever saw any man do. I pitied him in my heart, yet as Moses said once concerning Israel, I felt the wrath of the Lord go forth against him. George said, Do not judge me; I replied, The Lord judges, and all who are truly one in spirit with the Lord, cannot but judge thee. So he gave over, and it appearing a suitable time to break up the meeting, Friends parted in great love, tenderness, and brokenness of heart; for the Lord's mighty power had been in and over the meeting from the beginning to the end thereof; glorified and renowned be his most excellent name, now and for ever, for his mercies are many to those that love and fear him, who is the fulness of all good.

This meeting was not only for worship, but also for business, as I said to the people at our parting; it was Friends' Monthly Meeting, in which their poor, fatherless and widows, were taken care of, and such other things as concern them as a people. Two Friends were desired to stay, to hear what George had to say to them who remained, which said two Friends gave us an account, that George said to the people after we were gone, the Quakers had left none to dispute with him but an ass and a fool; when I heard it, I said, could you not have replied, An ass was once made sufficient to reprove the madness of the prophet.

George called to see me the next day, and said, "You had the advantage of me yesterday, for you persuaded me to be quiet until you had done, and then you would not stay to hear me;" neither indeed were we under any obligation so to do. I told him, I hoped that Truth would always have the advantage over those who opposed it; and so we parted, but met again upon Rhode Island; the governor of which place, who was a friendly man, having heard of my intention of coming thither, ordered the deputy-governor, when I came, to bring me to him, which he did. When he saw me at the door, and after inquiry heard my name, he took me by the He was now crowded up into the gallery hand, and led me like a brother, or rather between me and the rail, with a paper in his more like a tender father, into a room, setting hand; and I standing over him, and being me down by him, and then began to say, I taller, could see his quotations, and his para- have heard much of you, and I desired to see phrases upon them, on which I told him loudly, you long, and am glad you are here. Findthat all the meeting might hear, That he offered ing him near me in spirit, I was very open in violence to that sense and understanding which my mind to him, and answered him with much God had given him, and he knew in his con- clearness and satisfaction. I remember he science, we were not that people, neither were asked, whether I thought the sourness in the our Friends' writings either damnable or blas-minds of the Presbyterians against us, was phemous, as he through envy endeavoured to not rather abated? I told him, I did believe it make the world believe, and that he would was; and if our Friends did but observe to not have peace in so doing, but trouble from walk wisely, and live up to what they pro

fessed, they would overcome it all. He said meeting made it fairly appear to George that was the way, and there was not another Keith's face, that he had wronged the poor in comparable to it; and as he said, and I believe receiving fifty pounds of the aforesaid money it was so, he had no other view in sending for of Miles Forster, as appeared under Miles's me, but to manifest his respect to me, and to own hand; which George did not deny when do me any service that lay in his power. I he was charged with it in the meeting, as told him I was sensible of his love, and wished knowingly to have robbed the poor; it being I could be capable of returning that which in made fairly to appear, that George Keith had gratitude his kindness to me called for: he no right to meddle with the money, neither as said he desired no more than when I came a faithful Friend, nor yet as a poor Friend of that way, I would visit him, if he was living. London, because he was then in America. I told him I intended so to do, if it was my And what made him more incapable of claimlot to come there again. I then desired he ing any part of it, was his being got into the would be at the meeting next day, George spirit of strife and enmity against Friends, Keith proposing to be there, in all likelihood and therefore, before they could hear his it would be very large; which he promised he charges, he ought first to lay down the mowould, and accordingly came. ney, or give such security as Friends approved George made little disturbance in the be- of; neither of which he was capable of doing. ginning of the meeting, but commanded the He was slighted by all or most of the people, governor to quiet the Quakers. A priest said, as well as by Friends, and this blocked up his Mr. Keith, you ought not to command the go-way so much that we had little or no trouble vernor, but entreat him; well then, he en- with him in that part of the world. The Lord treated the governor to quiet the Quakers, wrought for his name's sake, and the preserthat he might be heard; whereupon the go-vation of his tender people, praises and honour vernor, like a man of justice and wisdom, stood up and said, It was not in his power to quiet the Quakers; inasmuch as the house is theirs, and they have appointed the meeting, it is but reasonable they should have their liberty, and if they be willing when they have done, you have your liberty to say what you have to say to those who will stay to hear you so the governor being next me, leaned his hand upon me, and went away in a sober manner. George was quiet, and we had a good meeting, and so parted.

be given to his great name, now and for ever. Thus ended this engagement between a poor servant of Christ, and a grand apostate, who appeared to fight against reason, sense and conscience. Think not, my friends, the account too long, for it hath seemed to me, for some time, a debt due to my brethren, and a piece of justice due to the memory of George Keith, for his wickedness, revolting and sad apostacy. Few there are who can believe how great the power of darkness and wickedness of that mind and spirit was, which posAfter most of the Friends were gone, a sessed and breathed through him; so great it Friend and I went to the meeting-house door, was, that even the considerate and sober peoto hear what George said: he held his Bible ple said, they did not think that George Keith in his hand, and said it was promised that the had been so wicked a man as they found he Gospel should be preached unto every crea- was upon trial. Courteous friend and reader, ture under heaven; but if it was truly trans-hold fast that which thou hast received, that lated, it would be in every creature, not in every creature, as horse, cow, &c., but in every rational creature of mankind: and then their meeting broke up in confusion.

My next remove was to Long Island, where I met with Thomas Story and John Rodman; John desired Thomas and me to be assistant to him in preparing a writing against George Keith, when he came to Flushing meeting upon the aforesaid island, which writing was to this effect, viz:

"Colonel West, an inhabitant in these parts, who died and made Miles Forster a trustee, gave by Will a considerable sum of money to poor Friends of London, which money was ordered by the testator to be put into the hands of some faithful Friends of the aforesaid city of London, to distribute as above." A true copy of which Will we obtained, and at the

none may take thy crown, for it is laid up in store for the righteous only, and such who hold out to the end, in the same pure righteousness which is of Christ, wrought and continued in man, by the operation and indwelling of his Holy Spirit, as man abideth in subjection and obedience to the leadings and dictates thereof.

I told George, that I was much ashamed of his complimenting great people; for I observed he sometimes said thee and thou, and sometimes you and sir; sometimes put his hat off, and sometimes kept it on, and that before I would be so unhandy, if I intended to be ceremonious, I would go to school a while, and not shame myself as he had done. If I have not written the very words, in all my accounts in the preceding pages, I have the substance: and for a conclusion, I had to say to George

Keith, the hand of the Lord was against him, and would follow him, unless he repented.

wherein she is not capable of helping herself, and thereby neglect your own business; but mind your own way in the Truth, and look not out. Friends appeared well satisfied with these distinctions, and it gave me some ease, in that I had not hurt any.

This account carries in it an admonition to us, and to Friends in future ages, into whose hands it may come, to beware of letting in the spirit of envy, prejudice and pride of heart, which I clearly saw was that which, with too much leaning to his natural abilities and learning, was his overthrow, he not keeping to the Lord's Holy Spirit, the life and strength of his faithful people, and the key of true knowledge, the good remembrancer, and leader into all truth, which the Lord sees meet in his wisdom to open and lead us into. Without the help of this anointing and Holy Spirit, we are apt to be cold and forgetful in our duties towards God, and also in our love and duties one to another; but as the measure of this spirit is faithfully kept to and improved, we grow more and more fruitful in every good work and word, to the glory of God and comfort of ouring of Friends and other people. I laboured souls, and, as the salt of the earth, help to season those who are not seasoned.

When I was in the Yearly Meeting upon Rhode Island, there was a query concerning what Friends should do, in case there should be a tax laid upon the inhabitants for building fortifications, and to provide men and arms for the security of the island; such a thing being then in agitation. One of the chief Friends concerned in church affairs, would have me give an account what we did in the like case in England; for he said they looked upon themselves as the daughter, and Friends in Old England as their mother, and they were willing to act consistently with us as far as they could, and would know whether we could pay that tax which was for carrying on a vigorous war against France. I was unwilling to meddle with it, as I said; but the meeting waited a considerable time for my answer, as one told me, and was not willing to go forward without it. At last, when I could not well do otherwise, I signified to that large meeting, that I had heard the matter debated both in superior and inferior meetings, and privately, and the most general result was this; Friends did not see an effectual door opened to avoid the thing, that tax being mixed with the other taxes; although many Friends are not so easy as they could desire: neither have we any further sway in the government, than only giving our voices for such as are concerned therein; therefore, as things appear to me, there is a great disparity between our circumstances and yours here; for you have a great interest and share in the government, and perhaps may put such a thing by in voting, considering the body of Friends, and such as are friendly, whom you have an interest in; therefore look not for help from the mother,

During my stay in one of the Jerseys, a great weight, more than usual, seized upon my spirit as I sat in a meeting, and under a sense of the same my cries ascended unto the Lord, the fountain of all tender mercies, that he would please to show me what was the cause of that great power of darkness which did so oppress my spirit. And it pleased the Lord to show me, that a man there had been guilty of some gross wickedness; and when it clearly appeared to be required of me to express it publicly, it became a very great exercise to me, and I had some reasonings before I gave up to make it public to that large meet

under it till towards the conclusion of the meeting, but finding my peace concerned very nearly in the matter, I stood up in the gallery and said, Under a sense of some gross wickedness committed by some person not far from me, hath my spirit been borne down: which wickedness will in a short time break forth to the dishonour of Truth, and grief of Friends. A great man who sat in the gallery by me, started up and seated himself upon the rail of the gallery, with his eyes fixed on me, and in the Lord's dread, I fastened my eyes on him, and said, We have a common maxim in Old England, touch a galled horse's back, and he will kick; and I am of the opinion, he that kicks is not clear. He got down as fast as he could out of my way, for he not only prevented me from the view of the meeting by sitting there, but his uncleanness stood much in the way of my service.

After the meeting was over, several worthy Friends expressed to me the great concern they were under, lest he should either by money, or subtilty, conceal the wickedness, if such was committed; for I found there was a great jealousy in the minds of Friends, that something was wrong with the man, but I was till then altogether a stranger to their thoughts, and to the state of the man; yet I advised that Friends should have a watchful eye over him and his family, for I told Friends, my spirit was easy in what I had delivered, and I believed the evil would not be concealed. On my return, I heard his wickedness had been made manifest, which he did not deny.Friends then asked me, what they should do in the case; I said, let the judgment of Truth go forth against all manifest wickedness, without respect of persons, that the ever blessed Truth, and such as live in it, may be kept

clear and in good esteem before all men as much as may be.

own son, but under a guard or watch which was set over him, to hear what passed betwixt Something of the like exercise I met with them, as he told me and some other Friends, in a meeting in Pennsylvania, repeating seve- which Friends said was true; yet under the ral times what oppression my spirit was un-consideration of the matter, and clearness of der, because of some yet hidden wickedness, the man's conversation, Friends remained in which in a short time would be brought to a strait what to do. And they desired that I light, to the blemish of the Truth, and great would reason the case with him, to try if I trouble to Friends. That very evening, after the meeting, a woman little thought by Friends to be guilty of such a crime, went to a worthy Friend and told him, she was the woman who had done that great wickedness I had complained of, and had borne such a great load because of; and, as the honest Friend said, she wept bitterly, even in the very anguish of her soul. He came twelve miles the next day to Philadelphia to acquaint me with the matter, and ask my advice, which I gave to this effect: If Friends find upon inquiry, in the proper season, that the woman continues heartily sorry, and truly penitent for what she hath done, for godly sorrow worketh repentance, and if from such a hearty and penitent sense, which is to be felt beyond words, she gave forth a paper against her wicked doings, not so much to ingratiate herself into favour, as for the clearing of Truth and Friends, and for the ease and peace of her own mind, and took the blame and shame to herself, then Friends may pass it by; if not, Friends must I was at William Penn's country house, set the judgment of Truth over manifest wick-called Pennsbury, in Pennsylvania, where I edness, as before mentioned.

I went to visit a meeting in that part called North Wales, which had not been long planted, where there was a fine tender people; but few understanding English, Rowland Ellis was my interpreter; we had a good meeting, and truth was over all. Some expressed their great satisfaction with our visit to that meeting, which heretofore had not been considered as Friends, but since that time they have been taken notice of, and grown into good esteem with the body of Friends.

I found it much my work to be engaged in the discipline of the church, which was very low in many places, yet there was a willingness in Friends' minds to be helped in that needful concern, for surely it is a good fence, and a help to keep the righteous in, and hurtful and wicked things and doings out, if the same be rightly handled and extended as it ought to be, in the love and wisdom of God. When I was in Rhode Island, one Rogers came thither to offer his gift, as he said, in the Yearly Meeting amongst Friends; but they appeared in a great strait about him, although he had written on behalf of Truth's principles, suffered imprisonment, and the taking away his wife from him, and was not so much as permitted to converse with his

could persuade him to be easy, and not insist upon any such thing, as a promise to receive his gift: for otherwise, he said, he would go where it would be received. I showed him, That it was a thing impracticable amongst us, and in itself unreasonable, that we should be by any pre-engagement obliged to receive that which he might call a gift, before we heard it. If he believed he had a gift, he might speak, and, as the apostle said, we might judge. It was not impossible but he, who was a scholar, and a wise man, and had a strong memory, might have gathered certain passages out of the Bible or other books, with what other interpretations he might have stored up, and speak of, and call it a gift, but which we could not receive as a real gift of the ministry, which stands in the Spirit, and in the power, and if it be such it will make way for itself, if not, we cannot receive it. So he went away, and troubled Friends no more that I heard of.

staid two or three days, on one of which I was at a meeting and a marriage. Much of the other part of the time I spent in seeing, to my satisfaction, William Penn and many of the Indians, not the least of them, in council concerning their former covenants, now again revived upon William Penn's going away for England; all which was done in much calmness of temper, and in an amicable way. To pass by several particulars, I may mention the following: They never first broke covenant with any people; for, as one of them said, smiting his hand upon his head three times, they did not make them there in their heads, but smiting his hand three times on his breast, said, they made them (i. e. their covenants) there in their hearts. When they had ended the most weighty parts for which they held their council, William Penn gave them match coats and some other things; which the speaker for the Indians advised to be put into the hands of one of their cassacks or kings, for he knew best how to order them. I observed, and also heard the like from others, that they did not speak two at a time, nor interfere in the least one with another that way in their councils. Their eating and drinking was also in much stillness.

I desire that Christians, whether they may

be such in reality or profession only, may the latter by nakedness, pining hunger, and imitate these people in those things which are piercing cold. commendable, which may be a means to prevent loss of time and expedite business; as much as may be, endeavouring to prevent above one speaking at a time in meetings of conference and of business.

When these matters were nearly gone through, I put William Penn in mind to inquire of the interpreter, if he could find some terms intelligible to them, by which he might reach the understandings of the natives, and inculcate a sense of the principles of Truth, such as Christ's manifesting himself to the inward senses of the soul, by his light, grace, or Holy Spirit, with the manner of its operations in the hearts of men, and how it reproves for evil, and ministers peace and comfort to the soul in obedience and well-doing; or, as nearly as he could, come to the substance of this in their own language. William Penn pressed the matter much upon the interpreter to do his best, but he would not, either because, as he alleged, of a want of terms, or his unwillingness to meddle in religious matters, which, I know not; but I rather think the latter was the main reason.

I have often thought and said, when I was amongst them, that generally my spirit was very easy, and I did not feel that power of darkness to oppress me, as I had done in many places among the people called Christians.

After William Penn and they had expressed their satisfaction, both for themselves and their people, in keeping all their former articles inviolate, and agreed that if any differences happened amongst any of their people, they should not be an occasion of fomenting or creating any war between William Penn's people and the Indians, but justice should be done in all such cases, that all animosities might be prevented on all sides for ever; they went out of the house into an open place not far from it, to perform their worship, which was done thus: First, they made a small fire, and the men without the women sat down about it in a ring, and whatsoever object they severally fixed their eyes on, I did not see them move them in all that part of their worship, while they sang a very melodious hymn, which affected and tendered the hearts of many who were spectators. When they had thus done, they began to beat upon the ground with little sticks, or make some motion with something in their hands, and pause a little, till one of the elder sort sets forth his hymn, followed by the company for a few minutes, and then a pause; and the like was done by another, and so by a third, and followed by the company as at the first; which seemed exceedingly to affect them and others. Having done, they rose up and danced a little about the fire, and parted with some shouting like triumph or rejoicing.

William Penn said, he understood they owned a superior power, and asked the interpreter, what their notion was of God in their own way. The interpreter showed, by making several circles on the ground with his staff, till he reduced the last into a small circumference, and placed, as he said, by way of representation, the great man, as they termed him, in the middle circle, so that he could see over all the other circles, which included all the earth. We queried what they owned as to eternity, or a future state; the interpreter said, they believed when such died as were guilty of theft, swearing, lying, murder, &c., I leave Pennsbury, but intend, before I leave they went into a very cold country, where the Indians, to say something more concernthey had neither good fat venison, nor matching that people, which I met with near Caleb coats, which is what they use instead of Pusey's house in Pennsylvania. Walking in clothes to cover themselves, being of one the wood, I espied several wigwams or houses piece in the form of a blanket or bed-cover- of the Indians, and drew towards them, but ing. But those who died clear of the afore- could not converse with them; but looking said sins, go into a fine warm country, where over them in the love of God, I found it to be they had good fat venison and good match my way, as I apprehended, to look for an incoats; things much valued by the natives. Iterpreter, and go to them again, which I did. thought, as these poor creatures had not the knowledge of God by the Scriptures, as we have who are called Christians, that what knowledge they had of the Supreme Being must be by an inward sensation, by contemplating the works of God in the creation, or probably from some tradition handed down from father to son, by which it appears, they acknowledged a future state of rewards and punishments; the former of which they express by warmth, good clothing and food, and VOL. IV.-No. 3.

I signified to them that I was come from a far country, with a message from the great man above, as they called God, and my message was to endeavour to persuade them, that they should not be drunkards, nor steal, nor kill one another, nor fight, nor commit adultery, nor put away their wives, especially for small faults, which, as I understood, is usual with them to do; for if they did those things, the great and good man above would be angry with them, and would not prosper them, but

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