was quiet, I said to him, "Thou hast not treated me like a fair disputant, to run on so long and not to give me time to make my objections: if thou hadst pitched upon any particular scripture, and given me liberty to have answered, it would have been civil and reasonable." He owned, he had not done fairly by me; but I desired to know what church he pretended to belong to? He answered, To the Episcopal Church. I then requested he would answer me one question before we entered into farther debate, and he promised he would if he understood it. I told him, I heard he was a scholar, and no doubt but understood how to answer it, if he did but consider the matter; the query was this, whether the sprinkling a little water in a child's face would bear the name baptism, yea or nay? He said, it would not. I answered, "Thou hast made a great pother and noise about little or nothing; for by thy own confes◄ sion thy church has no baptism at all, for I know not of any other way they use but sprinkling." He would not enter into any farther discourse about it, but made use of the words of Gamaliel, in favour of the work the apostles were concerned in, saying, If this work be of God it could not be overthrown, but if it was of man it would come to nought. I told him, I was of his mind: and the Lord hath supported me in this and the like work, now between forty

and fifty years, and if I continued faithful, I had no doubt at all in my mind, but he would support and stand by me to the end. And when we parted, he said, "The Lord of heaven and earth bless you, for I believe you are an honest man."

By this we may see, that truth sometimes comes over men, and the witness which God hath placed in men is reached, and truth prevails many times beyond our expectations, or what is by us foreseen: therefore it is good to keep to the guidance or leading of the Spirit of truth, for it is a blessed remembrancer, instructor, and true comforter to all such as truly depend upon him, who sent the Spirit of truth into the hearts of the children of men, to guide them into all the necessary truths which we are to know and practise, and consequently out of all untruth.

When we had gone through this island, and visited Friends there and in Rhode Island, and had some meetings in our way, we went to Nantucket, where we met with many Friends; also on Rhode Island, and in many places in these parts of the country, we found great openness; in Boston, beyond expectation, and there was some convincement in that town. We travelled up to Dover, and visited Friends thereabout (which are the most remote parts where Friends inhabit in that quarter of New England) wher

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I met with a Presbyterian priest: what his design chiefly was in coming to the Friend's house I knew not, but thought it was to see, or rather speak with me, for he soon began to ask me some questions; first, Whether I was not brought up a scholar, and had Leen in some of the colleges where I had my education? And also, whether I had not put on the canonical gown, and preached according to the manner of the church of England? I replied I had not received my education in any college, neither ever put on the canonical gown, nor preached after the manner of the church of England. told me I had been so represented to him and said, he supposed I had been at some schools: I told him, I had been at several to learn when I was young; and said, I did not know that I had given occasion at any time by what I had said, whereby any man might judge me to be a scholar. He understood I came from Old England, and began to ask several questions, as whether our Friends increased or decreased: I answered, I could not positively tell; I thought there was no great alteration in my time as to number, for their decrease in one part of the nation I thought might be made up by their increase in another part. He also asked me how the Episcopal ministers dealt with us about their tithes; my answer was thus: As to that part called the Prædial Tithes, they commonly either gather them

themselves or family, or let them to tenants, who take care to fetch them away before us, knowing that we cannot be free to leave them on the ground, as hay and corn &c. And as to small Tithes there is an * Act of Parliament called An Act for the more easy recovery of small tithes, for any sum not exceeding forty shillings, and ten shillings cost; which is by Justices' warrants. This is mostly thought to be intended to prevent their procedure by Exchequer process, through which great havoc and spoil has been made of Friends' goods, and sometimes their bodies cast into prison, where some have lain a long time. He asked how our Friends did in Scotland, if they increased there? I told him, I heard that they did not increase, but some of the Presbyterians in Scotland were kind to our Friends and would come to our meetings, especially if strangers were at them. And I

* The 7th and 8th of William the Third, Chap. 6 is the Act for Recovery of small Tithes or Offerings, &c. not amounting to above the yearly value of Forty Shillings, which is common for all people, the cost not exceeding ten shillings before two or more justices of the peace, not to go back above two years.

The 7th and 8th of William the Third, Chap. 34. which is our Affirmation Act, is the Act for the recovery of Tithes and Church Rates, for any sum not exceeding Ten Pounds from Quakers only, before two Justices of the peace, without any limitation of time. And by the statute of the Ist of George the First, chap. 6. sect 2. limited to ten shillings cost.--See the Statutes at large.

also told him, that persecution in our part of the world was become hateful amongst most sober people. He said it was very well; and likewise mentioned, That we were refined, and not the people we had been. I asked him, Wherein he thought we were refined? He answered, in our principles. I desired him to name one: and he said, George Fox denied the resurrection of the dead. I told him, George Fox did own a resurrection according to Scripture, as we do; but because he and our Friends thought it not safe to recede from plain Scripture, nor to comply with the way many people have of expressing it, which we think to be too gross and carnal, viz. that the same body shall rise, therefore they have asserted we deny the resurrection: the Apostle saith, that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, for it is sown in corruption, raised in incorruption, sown a natural, raised a spiritual body; with much more that might be added: and how much such a change maketh a difference, between the present and the future in the resurrection, between the natural and spiritual, corruption and incorruption, I know not of any finite creature that is able truly to determine; and therefore I think it is not consistent with charity, nor true wisdom, to differ about such things which exceed our comprehension. He allowed it to be better to let them alone.