sword. In public prayer, Mr. Wells returned thanks to God for our late deliverance. At two I took my leave of the Society, and preached the pure Gospel from the woman of Canaan. A spirit of love constrained me to beseech them, with tears, to receive Christ Jesus. It ran through all. Some of the greatest opposers wept, especially a young lady, for whose entertainment the players had acted me, sang, and prayed, and trembled exceedingly. The word was as a fire that melteth the rocks. I saw why God had brought me back. Our parting was such as it ought to be. About four, Mr. Wells, &c., attended me to the vessel. I laid me down, and slept, and took my rest; for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety. Thur., November 20th. By five this morning, He who blest our going out, blest our coming in to Bristol. I found my brother at the room, expounding Rom. ix. I confirmed his saying, and gave some account of my success in Wales. A great power accompanied the word, and I prayed in the Spirit. I joined with him in administering the sacrament to a young woman I had baptized, but who had not kept her garments unspotted. Yet God healed her backslidings, and soon after she confidently resigned her spirit into the hands of Jesus. Fri., November 21st. My brother returned to London. Sun., November 23d. I was very dead in delivering it, yet the word was mixed with faith in some that heard it, as they afterwards testified. Thur., November 27th. At the Malt-house, the spirit of love and supplication fell upon me. I was filled with the tenderest concern for the desolate Church of England; which I could not help expressing before the congregation in tears, and strong cries to God for her. Sun., November 30th. I gave the sacrament to our sister Taylor, dying in triumph. Here is another witness to the truth of our Gospel. Commend me to a religion upon which I can trust my soul, while entering into eternity. I expounded the lesson at Kingswood. It was Hebrews vi. I prayed Christ our Teacher to enlighten the people and me; and began my discourse with fear and trembling. The Spirit gave me utterance. I calmly warned thei against apostasy, and spake with great tenderness and caution. But who can stand before envy and bigotry? The strong ones were offended. The poison of Calvin has drunk up their spirit of love. Anne Ayling and Anne Davis could not refrain from railing. John Cennick never offered to stop them. Alas! we have set the wolf to keep the sheep! God gave me great moderation toward him, who, for many months, has been undermining our doctrine and authority. Mon., December 1st. I passed two hours at M. Parsons's funeral, and looked with envy on the corpse in the coffin. Her soul, before it left the body, was sweetly and fully conscious of its reconciliation with God. The word has been a savour of life to her also. While I was showing the universality of Christ's redemption, the flame was kindled all around, and the Holy Ghost bore witness with many consciences. Tues., December 2d. I had a conference in Kingswood with Mr. Cennick and his friends, but could come to no agreement, though I offered entirely to drop the controversy if he would. I preached on the three-fold office of Christ, but never with greater power. It constrained even the separatists to own that God was with us of a truth. I rode back in a glorious storm of thunder, lightning, and rain. My spirit rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. He opened my mouth again at the Society; and I spoke in much grief and love of our desolate mother the Church of England. My heart yearns towards her when I think upon her ruins, and it pitieth me to see her in the dust. Thur., December 4th. I administered the sacrament to Mr. Page, against hope believing in hope. After receiving, he had power to believe his sins forgiven. Fri., December 5th. I was much refreshed in spirit among some of my friends, the Quakers, by a writer of theirs, who strongly insists on the perfect death unto sin, and life unto righteousness, which every Christian experiences. Death must precede life, and condemnation justification. This he as clearly teaches, as any of our first Reformers. Sat., December 6th. I wrote my brother a full account of the predestinarian party, their practices and designs, particularly "to have a church within themselves, and to give themselves the sacrament in bread and water." Sun., December 21st. I took my leave of the colliers in the words of the great Apostle, (without comparing myself to him,) "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace." The loving spirit was mightily among us, and more still at our love-feast, for all the brethren of Kingswood and Bristol. Mon., December 22d. I showed, with demonstration of the Spirit, the (ordinary) necessity of our being bruised and broken before the Comforter would abide in us for ever. He who saith, "My work is before me," set to his seal. Wed., December 24th. At five I set out for London, which I reached, with Thomas Maxfield, the next day by five in the afternoon. At six God renewed my strength to preach the glad tidings to a crowded audience at the Foundery. Great was our joy in the Lord, and in each other. Fri., December 26th. I rose at five, without feeling my journey, and expounded Isai. xl. 9: "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain," &c. He spake comfortably to his people by my mouth, though I am nothing. I talked with one, who has entirely stopped the work of God in her own soul, by judging of it in others. A spirit of contrition fell upon me the moment I entered the Society-room. We made supplication for all men, especially the household of faith, and that small part of it at Bristol. Sat., December 27th. From eleven to one I met five or six hundred, to praise God with the voice of joy and thanksgiving. He hath done great things for us already, but we shall see greater things than these. I dined at a Dissenter's, armed cap-a-pie with her faith of adherence, brim full of the five points, and going on to the perfection of Rom. vii. At Mr. Craven's, a man abruptly accosted me, "Are you ready to receive my message?" "Yes," I answered, "if you speak not of yourself." "I speak to you from God." "Where are your credentials? What proof show you of your divine commission ?" Nay, nay," said he, “if you cannot receive my saying, I have nothing to do with you. 66 I have delivered my own soul." With these he flung away, and left his prophecy imperfect. Sun., December 28th. In the evening the scoffers were very outrageous. God filled my mouth with threatenings and promises. I defied and invited them by turns, till he got himself the victory; and I freely published the glad tidings, "To us a son is born, to us a child is given." I earnestly warned the bands not to fancy they had new hearts before they had seen the deceitfulness of the old; not to think they would ever be above the necessity of praying; not to yield for one moment to the spirit of judging. Among my visitants this morning I had a very ingenious person, who generously proffered to teach me the grand arcanum for the value of five shillings. Having no need of money, I declined his proffer; but gave him sixpence, and told him, as he had the art of transmutation, it was the same as if I had given him half a guinea. We had more serious talk before parting: how to change an heart of stone into an heart of flesh. Tues., December 30th. I exhorted the Society at Deptford with convincing power. A woman fell down under it. Wed., December 31st. I found the Spirit of prayer among the bands in London, and strongly exhorted them to humility. PART VI. FROM APRIL 3D, 1741, to SEPTEMBER 22d, 1741.* FRIDAY, April 3d. I set out for Bristol, to which God brought me safe by Saturday evening. I expounded at the malt-house Rev. ii. 24; and God was with my mouth. Sun., April 5th. I spake words of comfort to many mourners, from Isai. xxx. 18: "And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you," &c. Again God greatly to be feared was in the midst of our congregation, and revived many drooping hearts. *No account of Mr. Charles Wesley's labours during the months of January, February, and March, of this year has been preserved.— Mon., April 6th. I prayed by one supposed at the point of death. He rejoiced to meet the King of terrors, and appeared so sweetly resigned, so ready for the Bridegroom, that I longed to change places with him. I visited three murderers under sentence of death, who were ready to say, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Thur., April 9th. I got some hours for visiting our numerous sick, most of whom I found in a good way: only one backslider, B. Hawks, was in the depth of despair. I preached at Kendalshire, and gathered up the wreck. In riding back my horse threw me; but I know who caught me in his arms. Fri., April 10th. I found a dying sinner rejoicing in God her Saviour. At sight of me she cried out, "O how loving is God to me! but he is loving to every man he loves every soul as well as he loves mine." Many like words she uttered in triumphant faith, and witnessed in death the universal love of Christ Jesus. Sat., April 11th. To-day He called forth another of his dying witnesses; the young woman whom, at my last visit, I left in utter despair. This morning she broke out into, "I see, I see it now, that Jesus Christ died for me, and for all the world." From that time she testified, with much assurance, that Christ gave his life a ransom for all. Some of her words to me were, "Death stares 'me in the face; but I fear him not. He cannot hurt me, 'And death may shake his dart in vain.' Your report is true. God is love, pure love; love to every man. The Spirit which is in me tells me that Jesus Christ died for me and the whole world." The next I saw was our brother S., "With joyful eyes, and looks divine, He, likewise, had in himself the witness of God's allredeeming love, and could stake his soul upon the truth of it. Who will show me a predestinarian that dares die for the truth of reprobation? Sun., April 12th. At Kingswood, while I was repeating |