1659. I found my felf not fo much Mafter of my felf, as to pursue any further Converse with her. Wherefore asking Pardon for my Boldness, in having intruded my felf into her private Walks, I withdrew, not without fome Disorder (as I thought at least) of Mind.

We ftay'd Dinner, which was very handsome; and lacked nothing to recommend it to me, but the want of Mirth aud pleasant Difcourfe: which we could neither have with them, nor, by reafon of them, with one another amongst our felves; the Weightiness that was upon their Spirits and Countenances, keeping down the Lightness that would have been up in us. We ftay'd notwithstanding till the reft of the Company took leave of them and then we also, doing the fame, returned, not greatly fatisfied with our Journey, nor knowing what in particular to find fault with.

Yet this good Effect that Vifit had upon my Father, who was then in the Commiffion for the Peace, that it difpofed him to a more favourable Opinion of, and Carriage towards those People, when they came in his way; as not long after one of them did. For a young Man, who lived in Buckinghamshire, came on a First Day to to the Church (fo called) at a Town called Chinner (a Mile from Crowell) having, it seems, a Preffure on his Mind to fay fomething to the Minister of that Parish. He being an Acquaintance of mine, drew me fometimes to hear him, as it did then. The young Man ftood in the Ifle before the Pulpit, all the Time of the

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Sermon; not speaking a Word till the Sermon 1659. and Prayer after it was ended: and then fpake a few Words to the Prieft. Of which all that I could hear was, That The Prayer of the Wicked is Abomination to the Lord; and that God heareth not Sinners.

Somewhat more, I think, he did fay (which I could not distinctly hear, for the Noife the People made) and more probably he would have faid, had he not been Interrupted by the Officers, who took him into Cuftody, and led him out, in order to carry him before my Father.

When I understood that, I haftened home, that I might give my Father a fair Account of the Matter, before they came. I told him the young Man behaved himself quietly and peaceably; fpake not a Word, till the Minister had quite done his Service: and that what he then fpake was but fhort; and was delivered without Paffion, or ill Language. This I knew would furnish my Father with a fair Ground, whereon to discharge the Man, if he would.

And accordingly, when they came, and made an high Complaint against the Mari (who faid little for himself;) my Father, having Examined the Officers, who brought him, what the Words that he spake were, (which they did not well agree in) and at what time he spake them, (which they all agreed to be after the Minifter had done) and then whether he gave the Minister any reviling Language, or endeavoured to raise a Tumult among the People

1659. (which they could not charge him with :) not finding that he had broken the Law, he Counfelled the young Man to be careful that he did not make, or occafion any publick Disturbances; and fo difiniffed him. Which I was glad of.

Some time after this, my Father, having gotten fome further Account of the People called Quakers; and being defirous to be informed concerning their Principles, made another Visit to Ifaac Penington and his Wife, at their House called the Grange in Peter's-Chalfont; and took both my Sifters and me with him.

It was in the Tenth Month, in the Year, 1659, that we went thither; where we found a very kind Reception, and tarried fome Days: one Day, at least, the longer, for that, while we were there, a Meeting was appointed, at a Place about a Mile from thence; to which we were invited to go, and willingly went.

It was held in a Farm-Houfe, called The Grove; which, having formerly been a Gentleman's Seat, had a very large Hall, and that well filled.

To this Meeting came Edward Burrough, befides other Preachers, as Thomas Curtis and James Nailor: but none fpake there, at that Time, but Edward Burrough. Next to whom (as it were under him) it was my Lot to fit (on a Stool by the Side of a long Table, on which he fate;) and I drank in his Words with Defire: for they not only Answered my Underftanding, but warmed my Heart with a cer

tain Heat, which I had not till then felt from 1659. the Ministry of any Man.

When the Meeting was ended, our Friends took us home with them again; and after Supper, the Evenings being long, the Servants of the Family (who were Quakers) were called in, and we all fate down in Silence. But long we had not fo fate, before Edward Burrough began to speak among us. And although he fpake not long, yet what he said did touch, as I fuppofe, my Father's (Religious) Copy-hold, as the Phrafe is. And he, having been from his Youth a Profeffor (though not join'd in that which is call'd Clofe Communion with any one Sort;) and valuing himself upon the Knowledge he esteemed himself to have, in the various Notions of each Profeffion: thought he had now a fair Opportunity to difplay his Knowledge; and thereupon began to make Objections against what had been delivered.

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The Subject of the Discourse was, The univerfal free Grace of God to all Mankind. which he opposed the Calvinistical Tenet of Particular and Perfonal Predestination. In defence of which indefenfible Notion, he found himself more at a Lofs than he expected. Edward Burrough faid not much to him upon it, though what he said was clofe and cogent. But James Nailor interpofing, handled the Subject with fo much Perfpicuity, and clear Demonftration, that his Reasoning feemed to be irrefiftable; and fo I fuppofemy Father found it, which made him willing to drop the Discourse,

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1659. As for Edward Burrough, he was a Brisk young Man, of a ready Tongue, (and might have been, for ought I then knew, a Scholar) which made me the lefs to admire his way of Reasoning. But what drop't from James Nailor had the greater Force upon me; because he look'd but like a plain fimple Country-Man, having the Appearance of an Husbandman, or a Shepherd.

As my Father was not able to maintain the Argument on his Side: fo neither did they feem willing to drive it on to an Extremity on their fide. But treating him in a foft and gentle Manner, did, after a while, let fall the Discourse: and then we withdrew to our refpective Chambers.

The next Morning we prepared to return Home (that is, my Father, my younger Sifter, and my felf: for my elder Sifter was gone before, by the Stage Coach, to London.) And when, having taken our Leaves of our Friends, we went forth; they, with Edward Burrough, accompanying us to the Gate: he there directed his Speech, in a few Words to each of us feverally; according to the Senfe he had of our feveral Conditions. And when we were gone off, and they gone in again; they asking him what he thought of us: he answered them, (as they afterwards told me) to this Effect, As for the Old Man, he is fettled on his Lees; and the Young Woman is light and airy: but the Young Man is Reach't, and may do well, if he don't lofe it. And furely that which he faid to me, or

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