last, though under woes from Christ, the Saviour of all who believe in Him, follow, and obey Him; and as man's own lusts reign in him, in his natural state, and the evil one ruleth him. therein and is uppermost; so the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and crucified in Sodom and Egypt, the dark, ignorant, and depraved hearts of wicked and ungodly mankind, lies undermost in themselves; but the Father of all, by his Divine Light and Almighty Power, is come, and coming more and more, to destroy the kingdom of darkness and ignorance and the power of it, and to advance and establish the kingdom and reign of Christ the Lord in the hearts of mankind; of the increase of whose kingdom, government, and peace, there shall be no end."

It growing late we soon retired, recommending them to the Lord.

On the 19th we went to Maranock, and next day were at the meeting at Westchester; after which we went over the Sound into Long Island. On the 22nd we had a meeting at Jamaica, and here we went to visit our friend Samuel Bownas, still a prisoner for the testimony of the Truth. After taking several other meetings, on the 28th I went to New York, and the day after had a good and comfortable meeting there. On the 30th we set forward for Philadelphia, and the

same day got over at Amboy Ferry into East Jersey, where we lodged at an inn; the next day rode fifty miles to Burlington, in West Jersey; and the day after, being 1st of the 7th month, to Philadelphia; where that evening and the next two days, I felt more oppression of the Seed of Life in my mind, than in all my travels among the blind professors and savages of New England; the cause whereof may Lord himself discover, reprove, judge, and amend, as in his wisdom and goodness it may please Him, to his own glory: to whom for his mighty aid, many preservations, and great love in this journey, be immortal honour, saith my soul! Amen.

1704.

the

Section X.

Visits Maryland and Virginia.-A violent storm.-North Carolina.

Having finished my journey to New York, Long Island, Rhode Island, and New England, I settled to the business of my offices at Philadelphia; in the mean time visiting meetings in town and country as occasion offered, until the 14th day of the 2nd month, 1705; when I left Philadelphia in order to visit Friends in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina; and next day was at Concord meeting, where Truth prevailed and things were well. The next morning I set forward, accompanied by several Friends, and went over Susquehannah River to the house of Thomas Brown; where, though coming in late, and neither he nor any of his family were of our Society, yet we were kindly entertained.

On the 17th in the afternoon, we came to William Pecket's, who, though not under our profession, yet was zealous for the Truth, and received us kindly: he agreed to our having a meeting next day at his house, and sent his ser

vants several ways to give notice in the country; and in the mean time he told me of some discourses which had happened among the people in those parts, since I had been there before: for in a great meeting on that side the Bay, I I had reminded the members of the national church of England, "of what they call their baptismal vow and promise, made in so solemn a manner before God and man, when they are sprinkled; for then they promise and vow three great things by themselves and sureties :

First, to renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh.

66 Secondly, to believe all the articles of the Christian faith.

"And, thirdly, to keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of their lives; and this they are taught to believe is their duty.

"Now it appears by their public confession, they had broken all these promises and vows; and, from being made members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, in their baptism; have so far renounced it, and are so far fallen and degenerated from that state, as to have erred and strayed from the ways of the Lord like lost sheep; have followed too much the devices and desires of their own

hearts; offended against the holy laws of God; left undone those things which they ought to have done, and done those things which they ought not to have done; so that there is no health in them, but they are miserable sinners: and so, from time to time, year to year, to the end of their days, they still go on in the same way, and yet call Christ the Son of God, their Lord and SAVIOUR, and God their Father; though they live and die in their sins, and are not saved from them if this confession be true. Hence therefore it might be charged upon them by the Almighty Creator and Judge of the world, as perjury in his sight; and for that cause, and in zeal for their salvation, and, if possible, to awaken them from this deep sleep of sin, I had cried aloud in that meeting: 'Oh sinful nation! Oh perjured people! how greatly dost thou provoke the Most High by so great apostacy and departure from the Living God! How canst thou answer the Lord in that day which is hastening upon thee!' Exhorting them to repent, amend, return to the Lord, and perform their vows with all diligence and sincerity, that so their sins might be pardoned, blotted out, and remembered no more."

William Pecket informed me, that a man of eminence in that country, and some others, had been at the meeting, and were offended with