door against the Gospel, in this place, for ever? Yet several came to us, entreating us to preach; and at night a great number were gathered together to hear us. The advertisement we had printed here, last year, disclaiming Mr. Wheatley, did much good, and with the blessing of God helped the people to distinguish. Our host also has assured the Mayor, Mr. Wheatley is no Methodist, or associate of ours; and the Clergy, as well as people in general, are sensible of our inviolable attachment to the Church.

"July 12th. We continued in our retreat, transcribing the Notes, and leaving God to work, and prepare our way at Norwich."

Mr. John Wesley says, " On Sunday, the 14th, at seven in the morning, my brother took his stand in the street. A multitude of people quickly gathered together, and were tolerably quiet, all things considered. I would willingly have taken his place in the evening, but had neither voice nor strength."

Charles adds, under the date of July 16th, "A lady yesterday sent my brother an invitation to preach in her great room, at the window, whence he might be heard by those without. But to-day an Alderman, threatening persecution, has made her draw back. I walked to Lakenham, and stopped my brother. The rest of the day we spent in transcribing.

"July 17th. Word was brought us that the gentlemen were much displeased with their disappointment last night. In the morning James Wheatley overtook me and Charles Perronet in our way to Lakenham. I would hope he intended to pass by us; but Charles, looking back, and spying him, forced him to stop, and speak to us. He asked me how I did; to which I made no answer. Charles cried out, 'Ride on, James; ride on; do not talk to us. I pray God give you repentance.' He asked me then how my brother did; but still I said nothing. Then, recovering himself, he said, 'And God give you repentance, Mr. Perronet.' I bade Charles turn back, and leave him; which he did; being grieved at the hardness of his heart.

"At six in the evening we went forth. My text was, The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness,

The Rev. John Wesley's Notes on the New Testament.

and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' The people were amazingly serious. All behaved with the utmost decency. It is evidently the Lord's doing! Some of the fiercest persecutors are our fastest friends, and constantly attend the word. Many appear affected under it. Not one dares open his mouth against it as yet. My brother recapitulated and confirmed my sayings. In the mouth of two witnesses shall every word be established.

"July 18th. At four my brother, by the advice of Charles Perronet, set out with him for Bristol. By how strange a providence has he been brought hither, that he might be sent hence to the Hotwell, the only probable means of restoring his health! I preached at five, from, 'O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.' (Hosea xiii. 9.) Still their patience of the truth continues, or even increases. Near a thousand we have every morning. One man, after I had concluded, spoke a rude word, which drew upon him the general indignation. At night I had a multitude of the great vulgar and small to hear me, with three Justices, and nine Clergymen. The Lord opened my mouth, to convince them of sin; and many, I am persuaded, felt the sword of the Spirit in the word.

"July 20th. I declared to a more numerous audience, it being market-day, 'Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.' The butchers were continually passing; yet all was quiet till I had done. I passed the day at Lakenham, as usual.

"July 21st. My audience at seven was greatly increased. I spoke from the three first verses of Isaiah lxi.; but dwelt on those words, 'He hath sent me to preach glad tidings to the meek,' or poor. I laboured, as all the week past, to bring them to a sense of their wants; and to this end I have preached the law, which is extremely wanted here. The people have been surfeited with smooth words and flattering invitations. The greater cause have we of wonder and thanksgiving, that they can now endure sound and severe doctrine. I received the sacrament again from the Bishop's hands, among a score communicants. If the Gospel prevails in this place, they will find the difference. I went to St. Peter's, and thence to the street. It rained all the time that I was declaring the office of Christ, in his own words, Isaiah

Ixi.; yet none departed. My congregation was lessened by the weather: but those who did attend were all serious, and seemed to receive the word as a thirsty land the

showers.

"July 22d. The rain hindered my preaching. God is providing us a place, an old large house, which the owner, a Justice of Peace, has reserved for us. He has refused seve

ral, always declaring he would let it to none but Mr. John Wesley. Last Saturday Mr. Edwards agreed to take a lease for seven years; and this morning Mr. Sworkmen to begin putting it into repair.

-n has sent his

The people are

much pleased at our taking it. So are not Satan and his Antinomian apostles.

"My brother's prophecy is true, that all our caution and tenderness toward them will not hinder their saying all evil of us. The only curse I have had bestowed on me in Norwich was by a good woman of Mr. Wheatley's society: several of which I doubt not are gracious souls, in whose shame and sorrow I sincerely sympathize. Others show what manner of spirit they are of by tearing their supposed enemies in pieces. They have already found out, that it is I, and our little society of eighteen, have set the people against poor Mr. Wheatley; and I am come hither, with my brother, to execute a design we and Mr. Keymer laid against him in London. I trust, our few children will take my counsel, not to answer them a word; not to meddle with their distractions; but to stand still.

"July 23d. At five I declared the end of our Lord's coming, even that they might have life, and have it more abundantly. The seriousness of the people deepens at every discourse. I met Mr. Sn at the house, which is at present a mere heap of rubbish, without walls, roof, floor, doors, or windows. What will this chaos produce? I think it no bad omen, that it was originally a Foundery !

"I wrote all day at Mr. Edwards's. I hear the blaspheming of the multitude. Their mouths are full of vile expressions,

'Offence and torture to the sober ear."

Woe unto the man who gives such occasion to the enemy to speak' reproachfully! At seven I expounded the barren fig

tree to a people who, notwithstanding all their stumblingblocks, can endure sound doctrine.

"July 24th. I preached the Gospel from Isaiah xliii. 22, &c. My congregation at night was considerably increased by the market-folk out of the country. I preached repentance from Rev. i. 7: Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him: even so, Amen.' The Lord opened my mouth to convince. His word begins to sink into their hearts. Many were in tears on every side. Toward the close, a huge man tried to ride up to me; but the people interposed again and again, till a serious stout man took and led his horse away, and kept the poor drunkard at a due distance. Some in the public-house behind me were noisy and troublesome; on whom I turned, and recommended them to the prayers of the congregation. Satan often shows his willingness and inability to hurt or hinder us. In spite of all, the Gospel has free course, and daily gains ground on the hearers' hearts.

"July 25th. The rain drove me into brother Edwards's house. Only the sincere and serious attended. The poor have a right to the Gospel. I then preached Christ crucified from Zech. xii. 10. They did in that hour look on Him they had pierced, and mourn; particularly one hardened rebel, (that was,) who was in tears the whole time.

"Yesterday a woman came to me, to ask my pardon for having railed at me, or rather, at Mr. Edwards, while passing her. She belonged to the Tabernacle. I commended her ingenuousness, wished all her society like her, and gave her a book. From this many stories were made. I think it best to have no communication at all with Mr. Wheatley, or any of his followers: neither to mention nor to think of him any more than if there was no such sect or sinner upon earth.

"I passed the day at Lakenham; and at seven preached to a mixed multitude of good and bad. Some of the baser sort talked lewdly and blasphemously, till I turned, and set the terrors of the Lord in array against them. No wonder the slaves could not face me. The words directed to them made many a sincere heart tremble. I went on with more power than ever. So immediately did God bring good out of evil.

The number of mourners increases. By and by, they will be ripe for the Gospel.

"July 26th. I enforced on many listening souls our Lord's most important words, 'Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find.' I enjoyed my long-sought solitude all day at Lakenham.

July 30th. I preached at five from Isaiah xxxv., and found my mouth opened, as well as the hearers' hearts. The more Satan rages, the more our Lord will own and bless us. A poor rebel, at the conclusion, lifted up his voice; for whom I first prayed, and then, turning full upon him, preached repentance and Christ to his heart. I desired him to turn his face toward me, but he could not. However, he felt the invisible chain, which held him to hear the offers of grace and salvation. I have great hopes that Satan has lost his slave. Some have assured me, they saw him depart in tears.

"I began once more transcribing Dr. Young's Night Thoughts. No writings but the inspired are more useful

to me.

"At St. Peter's I heard a very innocent sermon on public worship. There is no railing at present in any of the churches. The Bishop of Exeter's Letter was cried about the streets all day. We prayed, and went forth at seven, expecting Satan's appearance. A multitude attended to Hosea xiv. 1: 'O Israel, return unto the Lord; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.' My heart was much enlarged. A very few showed their willingness to disturb, but were soon suppressed. I did not spare them; and the Lord gave weight to his word. I plainly perceive, there is no strength or counsel against the Lord. Many persons there doubtless are in this great city, who would fain stop the course of the Gospel, and drive it out. Several complain that their fellows will not suffer them to persecute. To say nothing of the Clergy, can Mr. Taylor's followers digest our doctrine of original sin? Can either the Pharisees or Sadducees, with which this place abounds, wish us success? Here are swarms of Papists and Antinomians, who bear us equal good-will. And all Christ's enemies have a sword put into their hands by that wretched man. It is Satan's and his interest, that the world should look upon us as all alike. And with this view, no doubt, the Rev. Mr. published his scandals of