the minds of the people were much exercised at that time: he was silent at last. I then took him by the hand, and advised him not to think to be too wise for the Truth; and so left him, and went away in great peace to a Friend's house in the town; where came some Friends I had left there, who told me, that Benjamin Newbury sat silent some time after I came from his house, and then asked some of them: "How a man could be too wise for the Truth?" To which the Friend answered: "That the wisdom of this world being foolishness with God, and the carnal mind enmity against Him; men might be so full of it as, consulting therewith, they might disobey the Truth; thinking the way thereof too mean and contemptible to be embraced and followed, and thereby neglect the time of their visitation; being too wise in the wisdom of this world, to embrace Truth in the simplicity of it; and yet the Truth in itself is wiser and stronger than all, both men and angels."

That evening we had a meeting at the deputy governor's, which was large; and on the 1st of 2nd month I went to visit Daniel Gould, an ancient Friend of the primitive sort, who was now confined by lameness and other infirmities of age; some of his family were likewise ill of a distemper then prevalent in the island, which

to many proved mortal. In relating some passages of Truth, his heart was warmed with zeal for the prosperity of it, so that we had a comfortable time therein together, he declaring several sound truths in the life of it amongst us.

The next day the meeting there was large, and many strangers present. On the 3rd of 2nd mo. I visited some Friends near Newport; and on the 4th had another meeting in the town, which was large and many strangers there; and I heard of none dissatisfied save one man, who, being a Papist, took offence at my saying: "The cross of Christ is not a cross of gold or silver, or other metal, or of wood or stone, to be taken up in order to follow Him; but the wisdom and power of God, reproving and crossing the wills and lusts of mankind in their own hearts; and the way to take it up is to believe in it, and follow it in its manifestations. But as to those invented crosses, how neat soever and prettily contrived, or richly adorned they may be, they are of no value in religion; for the evil one will tempt men, and prevail over them too, though they cross themselves with their fingers ever so much, or wear ever so many of such crosses."

He bore it so as not to show any uneasiness in the meeting, but told a Friend afterwards : "That he liked all very well except that :" which being told me next day, I sent him word:

"That I knew nothing of him in the meeting, nor of his cross; and therefore desired him to consider the thing further, and not to blame me for doing my duty, seeing it might be for his information, reproof, and reformation, rightly received and used."

After this I was at meetings at Portsmouth and Newport, also at Bristol, where the two young men were prisoners; being in the prison with them, and many other Friends present, we were favoured with a good time in the presence and love of God together; and the same evening had a meeting at the house of one Job Howlands. The prisoners not being called before the court that day, Thomas Cornwell and I went to Colonel Byfield's, about a mile from the town, next morning. When we went in he was very boisterous, reproaching Friends in general as a sort of people not worthy to live on the earth; particularly those of Rhode Island and New England, who would not go out nor pay their money to others, to fight against a common enemy so barbarous as are the Indians; wishing us all in the front of the battle until we had learned better; charging us with many errors and heresies in religion by the lump; instancing only our refusing to fight, and believing a sinless perfection in this life.

When he had a little vented his fury, I, being

over him in the Truth, returned upon him and said: "I was sorry we should find him in that temper, and that too in his own house, especially on such an occasion, when we, being strangers, were come only to request a reasonable favour of him, he being judge of the court; and that was to desire him to consider the case of our Friends as a matter of conscience towards God, and not of cowardice, nor of obstinacy against rulers or their laws." Upon which he repeated his charges, saying: "That the apostle Paul, a better man than any of us, cried out of a body of sin and death; and that when he would do good, evil was present with him.”

Upon this I called for his Bible, and offered to prove out of the same epistle be hinted at, that the apostle was, at that time, preaching the doctrine of freedom from sin in this life; for though he proves in the same epistle both Jews and gentiles under sin, yet he preaches freedom from sin through Christ, to both even in this present world; and also that war and fighting is contrary both to the doctrine of Christ, and to his coming, and the nature of his kingdom; and that it was upon his (this judge's) principles, that the Jewish state crucified the Saviour of the world."

Growing a little more calm, he asked us if we had eaten any thing that morning; and we con

fessing we had not, he called for victuals and drink, and would have us eat with him; and as we were sitting down to eat, he said: "He would not offend us in using any ceremony, (meaning what is commonly called grace before meat,) knowing we did not like it." I replied: "That though we did not rush into such exercises towards God in our own wills and time, without due consideration and fear, without any sense of the spirit of prayer and supplication upon us; in which state we could not expect to be heard in our own name; yet we never receive the mercies of God, but with due reverence and acknowledgment in our hearts unto Him, the Great Author and Giver of them: but that we dare not presume to pray unto the Almighty, till we have a sense of the assistance of the Spirit of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Intercessor and Mediator between God and man; since the most holy man that ever was, ought not to bow in his own name or power, but in the Name, virtue, and power of Jesus." And so we sat a little while in silence, and then ate and drank with him; and he made us freely welcome.

When we had done he walked to the town with us; and, in the way, we conversed on various subjects; and he said: "He thought it might be well, if we (Friends) were all settled