mattered not meddling in that, for as the English tongue was beft understood by thofe prefent, therefore I thought it would be best to keep to it. I told him, I was of Old England; but ftill reminded him of proving his affertion, which I looked for from him; but instead of that, he asked, what part of Old England I came from: I told him Yorkshire; and bid him produce his proofs,. as before urged, but he still evading the matter, defired to know from what place: I told him, I was born at North Cave; and, faid he, I was born at South Cave, and my father was minifter there many years, his name was Sharp, and there is but a mile difference betwixt thofe places: I faid, It was a long one. No fooner was this over, but the priest, transported with my being his countryman, began hugging me to fuch a degree, that I was quite afhamed of him: when I had, not without fome difficulty, got clear of his embraces, I asked him, if he esteemed himself a minifter of Chrift: he anfwered, Yea, and lawfully called thereto; I told him, if he was a gospel minifter, as the gospel was free, so should his miniftry be free; and turning to the people there prefent, I told them, I would not have them deceived, for they might understand he only poffeffed his place by virtue of a law in that cafe provided, and his call and ordination was only fuch as had been transferred upon him for a fee, which made him require pay for what he did, and indeed where he did nothing, which was highly unfair; wherefore they might upon confideration find he was but a minifter of

the

the letter, which was dead, and not a minifter of the Spirit and Divine Power: from which he offered not to clear himself, though I urged him thereto. Then I asked him, which of thofe odious characteristicks the falfe ministers were branded with, and deciphered by in the New Teftament, he would clear himself of: which I then enumerated to him. The sheriff faid, it was fo; and withal faid, Mr. Sharp, answer the man, for the question is very rational, and you ought to answer him, and for honour-fake clear yourself of thofe odiums, if you can. But he would not offer to meddle with it; wherefore I told him, to mind for the future, not to charge any man or people with more than he could be fure to prove; for it was highly fcandalous. It being now meeting-time, I asked him to go thither; but he refufing, faid, he durft not; fo we parted.

Having vifited friends here, we returned back for Maryland and Pennsylvania, and a great many we found who loved to hear the teftimony and doctrines of truth, but too few there were, who took up the cross daily, and followed Chrift in the way of felfdenial, and knew the thorough work of regeneration, fo as to have their garments washed and made white in the myftical blood of the Lamb: these are not polluted with the fins and iniquities of the world, who have experienced this blood to fprinkle the heart from an evil confcience: these are capable of ferving the living God; and coming from the laver or pool that truly

washes,

wafhes, there is none unfruitful, but every one bearing twain, and they are inwardly clean and fruitful to God, and walk with him, whofe bright and shining lives are alfo fruitful to the world that will receive them. Read this, thou that haft known fomething of the work of converfion, and confider the great difference there is between the bright lives of the virtuous, and the dull and cloudy lives of the vicious, and be fure thou look well, which of these thou most resembleft in thine.

Now when we came into Pennsylvania, my companion before mentioned, whom I loved well, told me he must go back to Virginia: it became an exercife to us both, for I could not fee my way clear to go back, having been twice through that province. When no other way appeared, but we must part, (for my way appeared clear for the Jerfeys, LongIfland, Rhode-Island, and New England) I held it needful that we fhould, as we did, call the friends and elders of Philadelphia and thereabouts together, to let them know how we parted, for we parted in much love and tender-heartedness; yet notwithstanding, left any undue reflections should be caft upon the friends there concerning us, because of our parting, I thought thefe friends would be capable of fetting those things in their proper light, being witneffes thereto; fo taking our leave of our dear friends in these parts, I travelled without any companion outwardly

outwardly or conftantly; but I fometimes fell into company with Elizabeth Webb and Sarah Clement, who were virtuous women, and lived near the kingdom, and were of good fervice in their travels, and grew in truth, which while with them I was fenfible of: we travelled under great care and circumfpection, both for our own good, and avoiding offence, as became our places, and holy profeffion, that in all things. we might adorn the gospel of the kingdom, a dispenfation of which was committed to us to preach unto others. Good fervice I had for the Lord, and great fatisfaction in my own mind in these parts, the Lord helping me by his mighty power through all my trials, as my heart and mind was devoted and refigned to anfwer his requirings.

I had great openings in feveral places in New England, and it appeared clear to me, and fometimes I spoke openly of it, that the Lord would gather a great people to the faving knowledge of the truth in his time, notwithstanding what many of our friends had fuffered for the name of the Lord, and teftimony which they held in these parts, from the predeceffors of the present inhabitants: the view of the ftate of these things, especially the great fufferings of many of our faithful friends, put me in mind of that saying, that the blood of the martyrs is the feed of the church; and in this cafe, I believe it will be fulfilled in its feafon.

One

One paffage happened, which I think not fit to pass over in filence: There came into one meeting, eastward in New England, a man, who was brother to a Prefbyterian prieft, to oppose friends, (who, as friends faid, had been often very troublesome in that meeting) in the beginning of the meeting he defired to have liberty to afk fome questions. I being a stranger, and not having fo much as heard of the man, nor any making reply to him, I felt liberty in the truth to return the following anfwer in behalf of the meeting, That I did apprehend it was the defire of friends, inafmuch as the meeting was appointed for the worship of God, and not for afking of questions, or controverfies, that the chief part should first be answered; and I also thought the meeting would be willing, in the conclufion, to give him liberty to ask the questions, if his intent therein was for information or fatisfaction, and not for contention. Friends were filent, and the man submitted to what was propofed, and a good meeting we had, the Lord's heavenly power and living prefence being with us, and the fubftance was felt among us, and exalted over all the fhadows and types; and Chrift the true bread and living water, light, and life of the world, was exalted that day; and the mighty God and Father, with his beloved Son, through the help of the Holy Spirit, was glorified, who is worthy for ever. Near the conclufion of the meeting, the man began to fpeak well of what he had heard, particularly touching that of water-baptifm, which he

faid,