On the 14th and the following days, we had meetings at Newbury, Hampton, and Dover. On the 20th, accompanied by some of the most steady and concerned Friends of the place, we went to visit several at their houses; and among the rest Peter Varney, a substantial Friend, at a house he had a little way in the woods, and much in danger of the enemy; and we all being under the weight of the state of things, and especially myself under the consideration, that if I should appoint meetings at places in the woods, and any person happened to be killed or hurt in coming to or going from them, great blame might be cast upon me, as accessory to it, if not the cause, and the way of Truth be likewise reflected on by my means. We had very few words, and none needless among us; and I could not see my way concerning any meetings, or places for any but in this state of mind, this saying presented itself before me: "He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth; but to him who walketh in the light, there is no occasion of stumbling." When this entered every doubt and fear vanished, my mind was clear, my countenance cheered, and the same invisible power reached the company likewise; so that they were all cheered up, and we were of one mind. Then I saw my way clear to appoint meetings for the

week, with their concurrence, at several places where formerly they had been; all reasonings from the apparent danger of the times being fully silenced in my mind, and I had no further doubt about it.

The meetings were in a good degree to satisfaction, at Oyster-River, Kittery, Cacheca, and Dover. But the Indians having done mischief in those parts in a cowardly manner, many were struck with great fear of them; and several professing Truth fell under that temptation, so far as to take up arms and go into forts and garrisons; and a few standing faithful in the simplicity of Truth, keeping their habitations therein day and night, trusting in the Lord, and willing rather to lose their natural lives for the Lord's sake, than offend Him or give occasion to the enemies of the blessed Truth to triumph, there happened debates among them; the unfaithful not being content in their unfaithfulness, sought to justify themselves in that unworthy practice, condemning the faithful as wilful and presumptuous. I had therefore much to say in every meeting on that subject, to convince them of their weakness, bring them forward, and fortify them in their testimony; and especially to charge them, that seeing they had not full faith in the arm of the Lord, they should acknowledge it to be their own weakness, and be

humble: not seek to justify themselves therein, lest the Lord should blast them, as to his Truth, and they find themselves also disappointed of the arm of flesh, in which they had trusted.

In the way between Dover and Hampton, I had some conversation with John Cotton, a Presbyterian minister. I exhorted him, "not to sit down under those imperfect, inadequate, and dark shadows, short of the Divine substance; nor persuade the people to rest there. The only baptism remaining in the Church of Christ, is that by his Holy Spirit: and as to the true supper, it is that flesh and blood of Christ, the soul-quickening Spirit and life from God; which whosoever eateth and drinketh, dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him. In this mankind are quickened, raised from death unto life, and live in Him and by Him for ever: which cannot be effected by any other ministry or ministration."

He was a mild and temperate spirited man, and we parted in friendship.

After this I had meetings at Salisbury, Jamaica, and Haverill. At this place I had occasion to say something in behalf of women's preaching, in answer to one that objected.

I said: "That no interpretation of Scripture ought to be advanced or admitted, which makes it contradict itself, or one part of it

another; or or one apostle oppose another, or contradict himself, or any of the prophets, or the matters of fact recorded in Holy Writ, relating to the public ministry of holy women in the Church of Christ or otherwise.

"First, then you may observe what Joel the prophet said, many ages before the days of the apostles, relating to the dispensation of the Gospel in this point, and the publishers of it: *And it shall come to pass afterwards, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.' The apostle Peter, being filled with the Holy Ghost, declares this prophecy to relate to the dispensation of the Gospel, and to begin at that time of the great and glorious effusion of the Holy Spirit of Christ at Jerusalem, repeating the prophecy at large.

:

"Now it is reasonably and morally certain, by a just and undeniable consequence, that the Spirit of Christ came at that time upon the holy women present; and that the women, or some of them, preached Christ to the multitude, as well as the men, having been his witnesses

Joel ii. 28. 29.

as well as they; or otherwise the application Peter made of that prophecy to that instance, could not have been adequate, and without exception or a reasonable objection: for if no woman had spoken, or preached Christ there at that time, it might have been said, that the prophet mentions women as well as men, daughters equal with sons, but here only sons appear in this dispensation and on this occasion: and therefore that prophecy cannot relate to it: but no objection of this nature appearing, it strongly follows, that some women preached there as well as the men at that time.

66 Secondly, If daughters were not to preach as well as sons; handmaids as well as other servants, this prophecy could never be fulfilled, and consequently must be false; which to say or think, would be prophane and blasphemous, and cannot be admitted in any wise. The apostle Paul saith: Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church, or congregation.' This apostle saith on another occasion:

* 1 Cor. xiv. 34.