an author as this a good word: unless it was, that he once wrote a Satire! and so his being a satirist might atone, even for his being a Christian. Saturday 14, About seven, we sailed into Kingroad, and happily concluded our little voyage. I now rested a week at Bristol and Kingswood, preaching only morning and evening. Sunday 22, Having heard grievous complaints of the Society in Kinsgwood, as if there were "many disorderly walkers therein,” I made a particular inquiry. And I found there was one member who drank too much in Jan. or Feb. last. But I could not find one, who at this time lived in any outward sin whatever. When shall we be aware of the accuser of the brethren? How long shall we be ignorant of his devices? And suffer him by these loose, indeterminate accusations, to make our minds evil-affected toward each other? Wednesday 25, I rode to Wick, and rejoiced over a people who have run well from the beginning. The person at whose house I preached, was supposed to be at the point of death. But ease or pain, life or death, was welcome to her. She desired indeed to depart, and to be with Christ. But it was with perfect resignation; her will being swallowed up in the will of him, whom her soul loved. Thursday 26, The remains of Elizabeth Man, being brought to the room, I preached on Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. How plain an instance is here of grace so changing the heart, as to leave no trace of the natural temper! I remember her fretful, peevish, murmuring, discontented with every thing. But for more than a year before she died, God laid the axe to the root of the tree. All her peevishness and fretfulness were gone. She was always content, always thankful. She was not only constant in prayer, and in all the ordinances of God, but abundant in praise and thanksgiving. Often her soul was so filled with love and praise, that her body was quite overpowered. On Sunday morning, she said, "I am struck with death; her pains were violent all the day. But they interrupted not her prayer and praise, and exhortation to those about her, till about three in the morning, having finished her work, she was set at liberty. Sunday 29, Was an useful day to my soul. I found more than once trouble and heaviness; but I called upon the name of the Lord; and he gave me a clear, full approbation of his way, and a calm, thankful acquiescence in his will. I cannot but stand amazed at the goodness of God. Others are most assaulted on the weak side of their soul. But with me it is quite otherwise. If I have any strength at all, (and I have none but what I received) it is in forgiving injuries. And on this very side am I assaulted, more frequently than on any other. Yet leave me not here one hour to myself: or I shall betray myself and thee! Monday 30, I rode to Salisbury, and in the two following days, examined severally the members of the Society, and on Thursday left them determined to stand in the good old way, in all the ordinances and commandments of God. In the evening I endeavoured to reunite the little scattered flock at Winterburn. Friday, November 3, I rode to Reading, and on Saturday to London. : Monday 6, A remarkable note was given me in the evening it ran in these words; "James Thompson, sailor, on board the George and Mary, a Sunderland collier, bound for Middleborough in September last, met with a gale of wind, which wrecked her on the Baynard Sands, off the coast of Zealand. Here every soul perished, save himself, who was for three days and three nights, floating on a piece o the wreck, with another man dead by his side, in which time the poor sufferer had lost his senses. At length he was taken up by the Dolphin-Packet, and escaped safe to land. He is now willing to return hearty thanks to God, and to proclaim his deliverance to the world, that all who hear it may praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men." In the remaining part of this, and in the following month, I prepared the rest of the books for the Christian Library: a work by which I have lost above two hundred pounds. Perhaps the next generation may know the value of it. Monday, January 1, 1753, A large congregation met at four, and praised him with joyful hearts and lips, who had given us to see another year. Tuesday 2, I breakfasted at Ephraim Bedder's. How strangely diversified is the scene of his life! How often had he been, both outwardly and inwardly in the deep! But at length God has lifted up his head. Thursday 4, I visited one, on the borders of eternity, who did not know his interest in Christ. O how melancholy is it, to leave all below, unless we have an earnest of a better inheritance! How can any reasonable man bear the thoughts of death, till he has a prospect beyond the grave! Sunday 7, I breakfasted with MY, an uncommon monument of mercy. For a long time he was turned back as a dog to his vomit, and wallowed in all manner of wickedness. Yet his wife could never give him up, nor could he ever escape from the hell within, till she said to him one day, "Go up stairs, and ask of God, and you know not but he may yet bless you." He went, but with a dull, heavy heart, and stayed about two hours. When he came down, she stared upon him, and said, "What is the matter now? What is come to you? You do not look as you did." He answered, "No, for I have found the Lord." And from that hour he has endeavoured to walk worthy of God, who has again called him to his kingdom and glory. Monday 15, We had our first Watch-night at Snowsfields. Scarcely any went away till between twelve and one. How is it, that never any one in England or Ireland, has been hurt for all these years, in going to all parts at the dead of night? Are not the hairs of our head all numbered? Saturday 20, I advised one who had been troubled many years with a stubborn paralytic disorder, to try a new remedy. Accordingly she was electrified, and found immediate help. By the same means I have known two persons cured of an inveterate pain in the stomach: and another of a pain in his side, which he had had ever since he was a child. Nevertheless, who can wonder, that many gentlemen of the faculty, as well as their good friends, the Apothecaries, decry a medicine so shockingly cheap and easy, as much as they do quicksilver and tar-water. Sunday 28, A solemn awe spread over the whole congregation, while I was explaining at West-street, the parable of the ten virgins : more especially those who knew they had not oil in their lamps. Saturday, February 3, I visited one in the Marshalsea prison, a nursery of all manner of wickedness. O shame to man, that there should be such a place, such a picture of hell upon earth! and shame to those who bear the name of Christ, that there should need any prison at all in Christendom ! Thursday 8, A proposal was made for devolving all temporal business, books and all, entirely on the Stewards : so that I might have no care upon me (in London, at least) but that of the souls committed to my charge. O when shall it once be! From this day? In me mora non erit ulla. In the afternoon, I visited many of the sick but such scenes, who could see unmoved? There are none such to be found in a Pagan country. If any of the Indians in Georgia were sick, (which indeed exceeding rarely happened, till they learned gluttony and drunkenness from the Christians) those that were near him gave him whatever he wanted. Oh, who will convert the English into honest Heathens? On Friday and Saturday, I visited as many more as I could. I found some in their cells, under ground; others in their garrets, half-starved, both with cold and hunger, added to weakness and pain. But I found not one of them unemployed, who was able to crawl about the room. So wickedly, devilishly false is that common objection, "They are poor, only because they are idle." If you saw these things with your own eyes, could you lay out money in ornaments or superfluities ? Here we have a fair Sunday 11, I preached at Hayes. instance, of overcoming evil with good. of the parish patiently hear the truth. and some experience it. All but the gentry Thursday 15, I visited Mr. S, slowly recovering from a severe illness. He expressed much love, and “did not doubt, he said, inasmuch, as I meant well, but that God would convince me of my great sin, in writing books; seeing men ought to read no book but the Bible." I judged it quite needless to enter into a dispute, with a sea-captain, seventy-five years old. This day Mr. Stuart was released. For two or three years he had been instant in season, out of season, doing the work of an Evangelist, and making full proof of his ministry. Three or four weeks he fell ill of a fever, and was, for a while, in heaviness of soul. Last week all his doubts and fears vanished, and as he grew weaker in body, he grew stronger in faith. This morning he expressed a hope full of immortality, and in the afternoon, went to God. Saturday 17, From Mr. Franklin's letters I learned; 1, That electrical fire, (or ether) is a species of fire, infinitely finer than any other yet known. 2, That it is diffused, and in nearly equal proportions, through almost all substances. 3, That as long as it is thus diffused, it has no discernible effect. 4, That if any quantity of it be collected together, whether by art or nature, it then becomes visible, in the form of fire, and inexpressibly powerful. 5, That it is essentially different from the light of the sun; for it pervades a thousand bodies, which light cannot penetrate, and yet cannot penetrate glass, which light pervades so freely. 6, That lightning is no other than electrical fire collected by one or more clouds. 7, That all the effects of lightning may be performed, by the artificial electrical fire. 8, That any thing pointed, as a spire or tree, attracts the |