himself, indeed, and we would fain have thought him, penitent; but I could not find any good proof that he was so. Nay, I saw strong proof that he was not :-1. Because he never owned one tittle but what he knew we could prove. 2. Because he always extenuated what he could not deny. 3. Because he as constantly accused others as excused himself; saying, many had been guilty of little imprudences as well as he. 4. Be cause, in doing this, he told several palpable untruths, which he well knew so to be.

6. Yet still we spared him, hoping God would give him repentance. But finding, after some weeks, that he continued going from house to house, justifying himself, and condemning my brother and me for misrepresenting him, on Monday, July 22, I rode to Bearfield again, and put myself to the pain of writing down from the mouths of these seven women, as near as I could, in their own words, the accounts which I judged to be most material. I read over to each what I had written, and asked if I had mistaken any thing. Every one answered, No; it was the very truth, as she was to answer it before God.

I would now refer it to any impartial judge, whether we have shown too much severity; whether we have not rather leaned to the other extreme, and shown too much lenity to so stubborn an offender. Even when I returned to London soon after, I declined, as much as possible, mentioning any of these things; having still a distant hope, that Almighty Love might at length bring him to true repentance.

Some who came up from Lincolnshire in the beginning of August occasioned my writing the following letter:

"London, August 15, 1751. "REV. SIR,-1. I take the liberty to inform you, that a poor man, late of your parish, was with me some time since, as were two others a few days ago, who live in or near Wrangle. If what they affirmed was true, you was very nearly concerned in some late transactions there. The short, was this: that a riotous mob, at several times, particularly on the 7th of July, and the 4th of this month, violently assaulted a company of quiet people, struck many of them, beat down others, and dragged some away, whom, after abusing them in various ways, they threw into drains, or other deep waters, to the endangering of their lives. That, not content with this, they broke open a house, dragged a poor man out of bed, and drove him out of the house naked; and also greatly damaged the goods; at the same time threatening to give them all the same or worse usage, if they did not desist from that worship of God which they believed to be right and good.

"2. The poor sufferers, I am informed, applied for redress, to a neigh bouring justice of the peace. But they could have none. So far from it, that the justice himself told them, the treatment was good enough for them; and that if they went on, (in worshipping God according to their own conscience,) the mob should use them so again.

"3. I allow, some of those people might behave with passion or ill manners. But if they did, was there any proportion at all between the fault and the punishment? Or, whatever punishment was due, does the law direct that a riotous mob should be the inflicters of it?

"4. I allow also, that this gentleman supposed the doctrines of the Methodists (so called) to be extremely bad. But is he assured of this? Has he read their writings? If not, why does he pass sentence before he hears the evidence? If he has, and thinks them wrong, yet is this a method of confuting to be used in a Christian,-a Protestant country? Particularly in England, where every man may think for himself, as he must give an account for himself to God?

"5. The sum of our doctrine, with regard to inward religion, (so far as

I understand it,) is comprised in two points: the loving God with all our hearts, and the loving our neighbour as ourselves. And with regard to outward religion, in two more: the doing all to the glory of God; and the doing to all what we would desire in like circumstances should be done to us. I believe no one will easily confute this by Scripture and sound reason; or prove that we preach or hold any other doctrine as necessary to salvation.

"6. I thought it my duty, sir, though a stranger to you, to say thus much, and to request two things of you: 1. That the damage these poor people have sustained may be repaired; and, next, that they may, for the time to come, be allowed to enjoy the privilege of Englishmen,—to serve God according to the dictates of their own conscience. On these conditions they are heartily willing to forget all that is past. "Wishing you all happiness, spiritual and temporal,

"I remain, Reverend Sir,

"Your affectionate brother and servant.

Mr. B- was not so wise as to take my advice. So the sufferers applied to the court of king's bench; and after it had cost him a large sum, he was glad to let them worship God in their own way.

Sat. 17.-Calling on a gentleman in the city, whom I had not seen for some time, I was surprised to find him thin and pale, and with all the marks of an approaching consumption. I asked whether he did not think a journey would do him more good than a heap of medicines; and whether he would set out with my wife and me for Cornwall, on Monday: to which he willingly assented. On Monday evening I preached at Reading. Mr. Bovertook us on Tuesday morning, with whom we had an agreeable ride to Newbury, and thence to Andover. Leaving him there, I rode on, through heavy rain, to Salisbury. and preached in the evening to an attentive congregation.

Wed. 21.-We joined companies again, till Mr. B- went to Shaftesbury. I overtook him there the next morning, and we rode on together to Yeovil. Here I struck off, to visit the societies in Devonshire, and Mr. B― went straight forward to the Land's End, whence he returned in perfect health. I now found more and more proofs that the poor wretch whom we had lately disowned, was continually labouring to poison our other preachers. And with some of them he did not lose his labour; the deep prejudices they then received having utterly drank up their blood and spirits; so that we were obliged, sooner or later, to part with them also. We reached Beercrocombe in the evening, and Collumpton the next day, Friday, 23. I preached in the little meadow at the end of New-street, and observed one circumstance which I had not seen elsewhere. The people did not come close to me, but stood in a half moon, some yards off, leaving a considerable space in the midst. The very children behaved with remarkable seriousness. I saw but one, a girl of three or four years old, who ran about as in play, till another, not much bigger, reproved her, and constrained her to stand still. Here I rested the next day.

Sun. 25.—I heard at church, by way of sermon, part of "Papists and Methodists Compared." But it did not lessen the congregation at one: on whom I enforced, (what they were somewhat more concerned in,) "What shall it profit a man" to "gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" I then rode over to Tiverton, and preached in the

market house, filled with attentive hearers. So it was on Monday likewise. Tues. 27.-We rode to Uffculm, about eight miles from Tiverton, and preached in the market place to a larger congregation than one would think the town could have afforded. Wednesday, 28. -It being the time of their yearly meeting at the school, abundance of gentlemen came to town. Yet I preached in the market house undisturbed; and afterward met the society in peace.

Thur. 29.-There was a sermon preached at the old church, before the trustees of the school. At half an hour past twelve the morning service began: but such insufferable noise and confusion I never saw before in a place of worship: no, not even in a Jewish synagogue The clergy set the example; laughing and talking during great part both of the prayers and sermon. A young gentlewoman, who was with us where we dined, hastened away to prepare for the ball. But before she was half dressed, she was struck, and came down in a flood of tears. Nevertheless, she broke through, and in a few hours danced away all her convictions. Toward the close of the sermon in the evening, a rabble of gentlemen's servants gathered together, and endeavoured to make a disturbance: but it was mere lost labour.

Fri. 30.-I inquired into the particulars of the last fire here. It began on June 4, about six in the evening. Four engines were brought immediately; and water in abundance ran through the middle of the street: notwithstanding, it seized four houses instantly, spread across the street, and ran on both sides, right against the wind, till it had burnt all the engines, and made all help impossible. When most of the people had given up all hopes, it stopped all on a sudden: on one side of the street, by blowing up the market house; on the other, none could tell how having first left about three hundred families without a place where to lay their heads.

I preached at six, on those words in the Morning lesson, "We desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for, as concerning this sect, we know every where it is spoken against." A drunken man made a little noise; but a clergyman present desired the town clerk to stop him; which he did immediately. Then the mob of footmen began, having procured a horn, and greatly increased their numbers. But a party of the townsmen undertook them, and scoured the streets of them in a few minutes. To revenge themselves, they laid hold on a poor chimney sweeper they met, though no Maccabee, (as the common people call us here,) carried him away in triumph, and (we heard) half murdered him, before he got out of their hands.

Sat. 31.-We rode to Launceston. The mob gathered immediately, and attended us to the room. They made much noise while I was preaching, and threw all kind of things at the people as they came out ; but no one was hurt.

Sun. September 1.-At the desire of many I went at eight into the main street. A large congregation of serious people quickly gathered together. Soon after a mob of boys and gentlemen gathered on the other side of the street: they grew more and more noisy; till, finding I could not be heard there, I went to the room and quietly finished my discourse. I preached again as soon as we came out of church, and then hasted to Tresmere. Mr. T- — not being come, I read prayers

1

myself, and found an uncommon blessing therein: I preached on Luke x, 23, 24, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see,” &c and great was our rejoicing in the Lord. We were filled with consolation. We sung praises lustily, and with a good courage; till, (in a manner I never remember before,)

A solemn reverence check'd our songs,
And praise sat silent on our tongues.

And

We were well buffeted both with wind and rain, in riding from thence to J-T's, where the congregation was waiting for me. we had another season of solemn joy in the Lord.

Mon. 2.-We rode to Camelford. In the way I read Mr. Glanvill's "Relations of Witchcraft." I wish the facts had had a more judicious relater one who would not have given a fair pretence for denying the whole, by his awkward manner of accounting for some of the circumstances. Wed. 4.-We called in the afternoon on Mr. H, in Camborne parish.

Sat. 7.-I rode in a stormy afternoon to St. Just. But the rain would not let me preach abroad, either that evening, or on Sunday morning. About noon I made shift to stand on the lee side of a house in Morva, and preach Christ to a listening multitude. I began at Newlyn about five. About the middle of the sermon there was a vehement shower of rain and hail: but the bulk of the congregation stood quite still, every man in his place. On Monday and Tuesday I preached in Ludgvan, Sithney, Crowan, and Illogan. Wednesday, 11.-At noon I preached in Redruth; and in the evening in Gwennap. It blew hard, and rained almost without ceasing: but the congregation stood as if it had been a fair summer's evening.

Thur. 12.-We rode to Penryn. Here I light upon the works of that odd writer, William Dell. From his whole manner, one may learn, that he was not very patient of reproof or contradiction: so that it is no wonder there is generally so much error mixed with the great truths which he delivers. Fri. 13.-I preached at St. Mewan; Saturday, 14, at St. Lawrence, near Bodmin; a little, ugly, dirty village, eminent for nothing but a hospital for lepers, founded and endowed by Queen Anne. But I found God was there, even before I opened my mouth to a small, loving congregation, one of whom had been sensible of his acceptance with God for above six-and-fifty years. I preached at St. Clear in the afternoon, about two miles from Liskeard; and the next morning a mile nearer the town. Hence I went on to Plymouth Dock; where I preached in the evening, to a large congregation: and on Monday evening to a much larger, with great plainness of speech.

Tues. 17.-Being greatly importuned to spend a few more days in Cornwall, I rode back to Launceston. After preaching there about noon; in the evening at St. Gennis; and the next morning at Cubert ; we went on, and reached St. Ives in the afternoon, on Thursday, 19.

Fri. 20.-I read, with great prejudice in their favour, some of Mr. Erskine's sermons; particularly those which I had heard much commended, entitled, "Law-death, Gospel-life." But how was I disappointed! I not only found many things odd and unscriptural, but some that were dangerously false; and the leaven of Antinomianism spread

from end to end. On Saturday and Sunday I preached at St. Just, Morva, and Zennor. Monday, 23.-We had a general meeting of the stewards, and a solemn watch-night. After the service was over, I rode to Camborne; and in the evening, Tuesday, 24, reached St. Clear. The house would not contain one half of the people; so I stood in the porch, that all, both within and without, might hear. Many from Liskeard were present; and a solemn awe was upon the whole assembly.

Wed. 25.-After preaching about noon at Plymouth Dock, we went on to Mr. V―'s at C. The next evening we reached Tiverton, where a large number of serious people were waiting for me. The sons of Belial were likewise gathered in great numbers, with a drummer at their head. When I began speaking, they began drumming and shouting notwithstanding which, I went through my sermon, to the no small mortification of Satan's servants, and the joy of the servants of God. I would have walked home without delay; but our brethren constrained me to step into a house. One of the merchants of the town quickly followed me, with a constable, and one or two servants, who took me between them, carried me through all the mob, and brought me safe to my own lodgings.

Fri. 27. In the evening I preached at Beercrocombe; and Saturday, 28, came to Bristol. Sun. 29.-I had much comfort among the children in Kingswood, finding several of them that really feared God.

Tues. October 1.-This week I had an opportunity of speaking to most of the members of the society in Bristol, who are now as calm and well united together, as if James Wh- had never been.

Wed. 16.-We had a solemn watch-night at Kingswood. John How, one of our nearest neighbours, a strong, healthy man, went home soon after twelve; said, "My feet are cold ;" and spoke no more. He lay quietly down, and, without any struggle, was dead before one. Thur. 17.-I preached at Bath, and the next day at Salisbury. Sat. 19. -We rode leisurely on to Basingstoke; and came, about two hours after sunset, to Bramsel.

Sun. 20.-Farmer N- "" who had begged me to come that way, upon the minister's offering me the use of his church, informing me, that his mind was changed, I rode over to Reading, preached at one and at five; and on Monday, 21, rode forward to London.

Wed. 30.-After preaching at West-street chapel in the evening, I walked to Lambeth, to see Miss Sm-, who had for several days expressed an earnest desire to see either my brother or me. When I came, her sister told me, her senses were gone, and that she had not spoke for several hours. But she spoke as soon as I took her by the hand, and declared a hope full of immortality. I prayed with her, and praised God on her behalf. An hour or two after, her spirit returned to God.