After my removal to this place I was not idle, but visited neighbouring meetings, and in the eighth month I went to Shrewsbury general meeting, where there were many hundreds of people, and the truth declared had good impression upon the minds of many; some after meeting, who were not of our society, acknowledged to the truth, and that they were glad they were there. In this meeting. I was concerned for the welfare of mankind, and the exaltation of the holy name of the Almighty, to declare the universal love of God to man, from several texts of holy scripture, as that passage of Jacob and Esau, and Peter and Cornelius, and something concerning the objection made against us, the people called quakers, that we do not acknowledge the holy scriptures to be the word of God; for though we believe that the scriptures came by divine inspiration, yet we are clearly convinced by their testimony, and by the spirit of truth in our hearts, that Christ is the eternal word of God, by whom all things were made and created, and do still exist.

From Shrewsbury, with divers other friends, I rode to Crosswicks, where, on the fifth day, we had a very comfortable meeting, in which the ancient love and goodness of our heavenly Father was with us to the tendering our hearts into tears of joy, some of us being likewise affected in remembrance of the goodness of the Almighty to us, in the meeting we had in this place under the trees about twenty-five years since. The great subject of faith and works was spoken to; as, that the romans seemed to lay too much stress on works, and the lutherans, calvanists, and others, too little but our principle led us to join both together; the Almighty having joined them together, none ought to separate them. This subject of faith and works having been much in debate amongst professed christians, it is on my mind here to mention a few things deduced from the best authority:

The first is, Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Heb. xi. 6.

Second, Faith is the gift of God.
Third, Faith works by love.

Fourth, Faith is the evidence of things not seen, and the substance of things hoped for.

Fifth, Faith without works is dead.

Sixth, The just live by faith.

Seventh, You believe (or have faith) in God, believe also in me, John xiv. 1.

And the author to the Hebrews speaks excellently concerning the power of faith, and the mighty wonders wrought by it. Note, this living, saving, true, and divine faith, must be in the heart, through, and in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who is, and always will be, the author and finisher of it in every true believer. After I came from Shrewsbury, I visited divers neighbouring meetings, and some in Chester county, where I had meetings for nine days successively, some of which, were very large (particularly at Providence and Goshen) in which I was opened to exhort them to keep to that plain, honest way of life and conversation which our fathers and elders were found in, and to remind them of the sufferings they endured for their testimony to the blessed truth, in the first breaking forth thereof in the last age; and I was concerned to shew them, that the Almighty, who had blessed us with plenty of temporal blessings, would continue the same to us, if we were careful to live in his fear; but that otherwise, we might expect his judgments for disobedience.

And after my return, I continued about home for some time, it being winter season, and bad travelling, and I not so capable of travelling as formerly; but I had great peace and tranquillity of mind, in that I had freely given up my youthful days to serve my Creator, and the same love and zeal was yet fresh and warm in my heart, for the glory of his great name; and I still have a full resolution through his strength and grace to serve him, the great Lord of all, all my days, according to the light and strength given to me.

Our yearly meeting at Philadelphia this year was large, in which our friend Benjamin Kid, from England, being with us, had good service. I cannot forget a concern which was upon me at this meeting, that the universal

love of God, through Christ, might prevail amongst mankind, and to press friends to manifest to all people the influence thereof, by their exemplary lives and conversation.

In the second month, 1724, I went into New-Jersey as far as Shrewsbury, where, on a first day, we had a large meeting, to general satisfaction; and the next day we had another, wherein the love and good will of God, through Christ, was opened freely to the people, and our duty to forgive one another was largely treated of; and it was plainly shewn, that without forgiving others, we could not be forgiven of God, as Christ saith, "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive, you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses;" Mat. iv. 14 15, &c. and much more to the same effect on that subject; as also Christ's answer to Peter, who asked, how oft a man should forgive his brother if he trespassed against him? Peter says, till seven times: our Lord Jesus answers, I say not unto thee, until seven times, but until seventy times seven, Mat. xviii. 22. And again, Christ says, If thy brother trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again unto thee, saying I repent, thou shalt forgive him, Luke xvii. 4. Which hard

hearted people think a great hardship, but Christ's cross must be taken up, and borne daily, if we will be his disciples and followers indeed, and in truth, as well as in profession.

After we had reconciled some differences at Shrewsbury, we went to a place called Menesquan, and had a good, open meeting, and most of the people of that place were there. It was a good time, and I hope the opportunity will not soon be forgotten by divers who were there. From this place we travelled to Crosswicks, and had a good meeting. After meeting, a friend told me that some would say, "I spoke by information, because I had opened some matters which were exactly to the state and condition of some there :" But I knew nothing of their state and condition, otherwise than as it was then

immediately opened in my mind; neither had I been told any thing concerning them directly or indirectly: and from thence we travelled to Burlington, where the monthly meeting of our friends had desired that I would be assistant to help to end a difference which had happened through mistake, and continued for about seven years (since the first occasion was given) and through divine assistance, our hearts being filled with the love of Christ, we so prevailed upon the differing persons, that they gave each other satisfaction, with hopes that they should live in love for the future; and friends of the place greatly rejoiced at the end of that difference. As I went along this town, some friends told me of a religious people some few miles distant, whom they desired I would have a meeting with. I desired them to see if it would be granted, and let me know; which was done, and we had a meeting, and were kindly received, and the divine nature of the gospel of Christ was freely opened to them, and in great love we parted from one another. I travelled in this journey, about two hundred miles; and when I came home, my dear wife and family gladly received me with hearts full of love. And this testimony I think proper, for several solid reasons, to leave behind me, of my virtuous and loving wife, that since we were married, she never hindered me in that service, my great Master called me unto, in all the time of our living together; we always parted for the sake of the gospel of Christ, in pure love, and in the same love we always met again.

Soon after this time I met with several great losses by sea and land, and myself and my little daughter were dangerously sick, so that our recovery seemed doubtful; yet, through the mercy of God, we both recovered, for which I praise his name.

After some stay at home, I was again moved in the love of Christ, to visit the general meetings of Duckcreek and Salem. At Duck-creek we had a large and satisfactory meeting. From Duck-creek I appointed a meeting at George's-creek, which was a good meeting. The next morning we went over to Elsinburgh, and so

on to Cohansie, where I met with two of my fellow labourers in the work of Christ, Thomas Lightfoot, and Benjamin Kid. We had a meeting together at Cohansie, in which the people were exhorted to sobriety and just dealing. The contrary of both is too obvious at such times as fairs; there being divers of the fair people there as well as others, the nature of Christ's work in the heart, was somewhat spoken to, but not so open a meeting as some others, the people thereaway being too slack and dull as to religion. Next day we had a meeting at Alloway's-creek, where we all three had some pretty close work; and from thence we went to the general meeting at Salem which was larger than common, on account of the said friend Benjamin Kid's being there: who, in the love of Christ, came from England to visit the churches in this part of the world. There were so many friends and others here at this time that some houses were so filled, that there was not room for all that came to lodge there. After this meeting I returned home, and in a few days went into Chester county, and travelled about a hundred miles; and when I came home I understood that some for want of a true sense of the work of Christ had been censuring me for my much travelling and hard labour in the work of the ministry of the gospel of Christ; though, by the same rule of judging, the apostles of Christ, and our ancient friends, who travelled much, cannot escape their censure; for in all my travels, I have had an especial regard to the unity of the brethren, and never knowingly went abroad without it: but let this caution be recorded for the instruction of all such forward judges; let them be careful of judging Christ's servants, lest their words become their burden: Judge not that ye be not judged (saith our great Lord) for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.

Soon after my return from Chester county, I was at a marriage at Abington, which was one of the most solemn I have been at; and on the 15th of the third month, at the youth's meeting at Germantown, to my great satisfaction; and on the 23d of the same month, I went to the general meeting of ministers and elders at Burlington;