tified of in the Holy Scriptures, and also in many of our Friends' writings. I refer particularly to the works of our beloved brethren, William Penn and Robert Barclay, especially to the latter, in the 2nd, 5th, and 6th propositions of his Apology, upon Immediate Revelation, and the Universality of the Light and Grace of Christ, where my reader will find it very fully treated of.

PART II.

SECTION I.

THIS Second Part gives some account of my spiritual travels, and the various exercises of soul I have passed through and experienced in the way of regeneration from my youth upward :—And further shows, that when, by the operation of the holy Light and Spirit of the Lord upon my soul, I had attained to some degree of spiritual growth in my own particular, a concern of spirit came upon me for the prosperity of Truth in general, and a necessity to unite with faithful brethren for the discharge of the discipline in the church of Christ :Treating also of church government in the Apostles' times and in our own, showing how nearly they agree:-With some account of my journeys, voy

ages, &c.

Though the spiritual exercises which I have gone through in my pilgrimage were so imprinted in my mind, by deep affliction, that I cannot forget them while memory lasts; yet, as they had been often and livingly revived in my remembrance, by the same Spirit which brought me through them, as also with pressure of mind to commit something thereof to writing; so I waited the Lord's time in order to be assisted therein by the Holy Remembrancer, that what I write may be a living and divine sense of that which I experienced in

former times. In my so waiting, I found a sweet openness to proceed; and therewith, I was drawn into a divine commemoration of the Lord's wonderful mercies, deliverances, and inexpressible goodness towards me, from my childhood, up to this day; for which, my soul, with great reverence, doth humbly bow unto Him, as with my mouth in the dust, giving the praise to his holy and eternal Name; with beseechings of soul, that He would be graciously pleased to keep and preserve me to the my days, that so he may give me an eternal inheritance among the sanctified, in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen, saith my soul.

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Before I was seven years of age, the Spirit of the Lord began to work in my mind, and strove with me, to bring me off from childish playfulness and vanities. His holy light in my soul (as I soon after found it to be) convinced me, that I ought not to give way to, nor do this, that, or the other thing which presented; and when, at any time, I did what I should not have done, it brought upon me trouble and condemnation, even in those early days, as it hath always since, when I did anything that offended the Lord. If this were a proper place for it, I could enlarge abundantly upon the divine nature of this holy principle of the light and Spirit of Jesus Christ in the soul, of which the Holy Scriptures so largely testify; however, I shall be led to do it in part in the process of this history, knowing from my own certain experience, that it is no principle of our nature, nor any innate notion of our minds, for nothing of or from our own fallen nature, can show or convince us of sin. Though I did not presently know, that it was the Lord's Spirit which I felt working in me, (as Samuel who knew not the Lord's voice, when a child,) yet being

convinced in myself, by its holy convictions, that I ought not to do those things which brought trouble upon me, and also, that when at any time I refrained from doing what caused this trouble, I had sweet peace and satisfaction of mind, it made me the more to attend to its dictates, and drew me off from many childish actions, which youth are prone to; whereby, I grew into sobriety beyond many of my age, until I came to be about nine years old.

But in a little time after, I began by degrees to lose this condition; and I well remember, how the enemy of my soul worked in a mystery, insinuating into my mind, What harm, or evil, is there in things, which are accounted innocent diversions? and being of a lively, active temper, this bait took with me; so that my mind was drawn off from attending to the convictions of the Lord's Holy Spirit in my heart, which did often bring trouble and condemnation upon me. Beginning to love playful pastimes, I lost that inward sweetness and peace which I had before enjoyed; and by endeavouring to stifle these secret reproofs, I grew harder, until, from a desire to keep company with other wild boys, I took delight in getting out into the streets to play with them, so that I grew very wanton, although my dear parents endeavoured to restrain me. After I had been associating with such companions, when I came to be a little still, the Lord's judgments would seize me, and bring me under great trouble of soul; then I would resolve to refrain, and do so no more. Yet perhaps the next temptation that offered, I could not withstand, but fell into the same snare again.

Thus it was with me, until I came to be about twelve years of age; although, to the praise of the Lord, I was preserved from any very wicked or

gross actions, or even very bad words, yet my mind was drawn away into vanity and wildness, and I was far from being so sober as I ought to have been.

And here, I may be allowed to make a cautionary digression concerning parents.-If they have any regard to the good of their children, they should keep a very strict hand over them, especially when they are prone to wildness, as I was; for, had not my parents been careful over me, I had been worse than I was. And although my dear mother would never indulge me in any evil practice, being a prudent, discreet woman; yet she loved me exceedingly, even beyond any of her children, which I well knew, and therefore I in some measure presumed upon it, and ventured abroad at some times, which I should not have done, had she corrected me oftener. I would advise and caution all parents to take particular care of their children in going to and returning from school, lest they fall into company that would certainly corrupt them; likewise to keep them from walking abroad on first days, or those called holy days, for such times are the most dangerous, and they are then most liable to fall in the way

of idle company, to their great hurt. From my own experience I can say, that by giving way at first to small hurtful things, the enemy gets advantage, gradually stealing in, and drawing away the mind into greater evils. Therefore it is, that

we are commanded to abstain from every appearance of evil, which we cannot do, but by the assistance of the Lord's Holy Spirit, and taking up the cross of Christ to every such appearance, whereby we witness an overcoming of the assaults and temptations of Satan.