them but love Christ, and spend their whole time in his service, and they will find no dull melancholy hours. Want of the love of God I take to be the chief cause of indolence and vapours. Oh, that our gentry would up and be doing for Jesus Christ! They would not complain then for the want of spirits.

Sunday, April 8. Arose much refreshed, and highly pleased with the last afternoon's retirement; read prayers, and preached twice at Chepstow church to very attentive congregations, many of whom came from far. After sermon, I gave a word of exhortation, and prayed with several that came to the inn, and God was pleased to give it his blessing. About five I set out with my friends to Colford, eight miles from Chepstow, and went and visited the religious society, which has met with much opposition. Good God! wherever I go, people are ready to perish for lack of knowledge, and are as ignorant of Jesus Christ as the Papists. My heart within me is broken because of the prophets. Jer. 23.

At night I was pleased with the company of several friends, who came from Pontypool to see me once more. We spent the evening very agreeably in singing psalms, prayer, and conversation, and, I hope, edified one

another in love.

COLFORD AND GLOUCESTER.

Monday, April 9. Preached this morning in the Market-house to about one hundred people, and afterwards talked with effect to some scoffers at the inn. After this I set out for, and reached Gloucester about noon, where I was refreshed by a great packet of letters, giving me an account of the success of the gospel in different parts. God grant I may see it come as powerfully amongst my own countrymen.

GLOUCESTER.

Tuesday, April 10. Visited the religious society last night, preached at four in the afternoon to a great congregation at St Michael's church, visited a society near the West-gate-street at seven, and another at eight; the last of which was very much crowded. Oh, what

unspeakable pleasure does it give me, to see my own townsmen receive the word with joy!

Wednesday, April 11. Was treated this day as I expected, and as I told my friends I should be used, when I first entered the city. The minister of St Michael's was pleased to lend me his church yesterday and to-day; but some wealthy Demetriuses being offended at the greatness of the congregations, and alleging that it kept people from their business, he was influenced by some of them to deny the use of his pulpit any more on a week day. Alas! what an enmity there is in the natural man against the success of the gospel! How fond are they of Pharaoh's objection, Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, let us go worship the Lord."

About four I set cut for Painswick, a town four miles distant from Gloucester, where the pulpit being denied, I preached to a very large congregation from the stairs belonging to the school-house, in one of the streets. Many were solicitous for me to come and preach at other neighbouring places also. At my return to Gloucester, my heart was much refreshed by the reception of near thirty letters from Bristol; all, I hope, from persons whose hearts God hath been pleased to touch, and powerfully convince of self-righteousness. Lord, not unto me, but unto thy name be all the glory.

Thursday, April 12. Spent the morning in answering some of my dear correspondents, and preached in the evening to near three thousand hearers, in a field belonging to my brother. Cry out who will against this my forwardness, I cannot see my dear countrymen and fellow christians everywhere ready to perish through ignorance and unbelief, and not endeavour to convince them of both.

Those who forbid me to speak to these poor baptized heathens that they may be saved, upon them I call to give a reason for their so doing; a reason which may satisfy not man only, but God. And, accordingly, I here cite them to answe it to our common Master. What their real reason is, whether envy, or Master,

in so doing thou reproachest us;" or ought else, shall, one day, be manifested to men and angels.

I am, and profess myself a member of the church of England. I have received no prohibition from any of the bishops; and having had no fault found by them with my life or doctrine, have the same general license to preach, which the rectors are willing to think sufficient for their curates; nor can any of them produce one instance of their having refused the assistance of a stranger clergyman, because he had not a written license; and have their lordships, the bishops, insisted that no person shall ever preach occasionally without such special license? Is not our producing our letters of orders always judged sufficient? Have not some of us been allowed to preach in Georgia, and other places, by no other than our general commission, Take thou authority to, &c., nay, and therefore ordained that we might preach in Georgia? His lordship of London allowed of my preaching there, even when I had only received deacon's orders; and I have never been charged by his lordship with teaching, or living otherwise than as a true minister, and true son of the church of England. I keep close to her articles and homilies, which, if my opposers did, we should not have so many dissenters from her; but it is most notorious, that for the moralizing iniquity of the priests the land mourns. We have preached and lived many sincere persons out of our communion. I have now conversed with several of the best of all denominations; many of them solemnly protest that they went from the church, because they could not find food for their souls; they staid amongst us till they were starved out.

I know this declaration will expose me to the illwill, not of all my brethren, but of all my indolent, earthlyminded, pleasure-taking brethren; but were I not to speak, the very stones would cry out against them. Speak therefore I must, and will, and will not spare; God look to the event. Whatever becomes of the pastors who feed themselves, and not the flock, I have borne iny testimony, I have delivered my own soul.

After sermon I visited two crowded societies; many received the word with gladness; and to-day I felt such an intense love, that I could have almost wished myself accursed for my brethren according to the flesh. Oh, that they experimentally knew the things that belong to their peace, before they are everlastingly hid from their eyes!

Friday, April 13. Was much delighted with some more letters I received from some young soldiers of Jesus Christ. Redeemed what time I could to answer some of them; preached at noon to a much larger congregation than yesterday in the field; took a little refreshment, and went upon invitation to Chafford, eight miles from Gloucester, where I preached with great power to above three thousand souls, all which behaved with great decency, and, like new-born babes, seemed desirous to be fed with the sincere milk of the word. It rejoices me much to find that my countrymen also receive the gospel. Oh, that it may take deep root in their hearts!

Saturday, April 14. Lay at Stroud, about three miles from Chafford; preached in the fields belonging to the inn, at nine in the morning, to about six hundred people; went to Stonehouse to pay my dear flock a visit there; and being entreated most earnestly, as I passed through the town yesterday, at three I preached again at Painswick, to double the number I preached to before, and God was with us of a truth. As soon as I had done I hasted to Gloucester, according to appointment, and preached in the Boothall to, I believe, near five thousand people. Extraordinary power God was pleased to give me. I was uncommonly enlarged in prayer; and though I had preached twice, and rode some miles, yet I think I never spoke with greater demonstration of the Spirit. God will work, and who shall hinder?

After this I received another packet of letters from Bristol people, and was comforted by the coming of some more friends, with whom I took sweet counsel, and praised God lustily, and with a good courage. How are his mercies showered down upon me! What

enlargements of heart have I experienced this night, Oh, that I had a thousand tongues wherewith to praise my God! About three days ago I was much humbled, now am I exalted. Yet a little while, and I shall be humbled again. Thus God acts according as he seeth best for our souls.

Sunday, April 15. Preached by eight in the morning to a larger congregation than ever in my brother's field; went to the cathedral service at ten, and after dinner went to Stonehouse, being invited thither by the minister as well as people. It rained all the way going thither; but notwithstanding that, I believe three thousand souls were ready to hear me, and behaved with great decency and devotion whilst I was speaking to them. The church not being large enough to contain a third part of the auditory, I preached from a very commodious place on the outside; and though it rained the whole time, yet I did not observe one person leave the place before I had done. Afterwards many of the children of God came to me, rejoicing that free grace in Christ had been preached unto them, telling me it was food to their souls, and what they had experienced for some years. The other people also behaved most affectionately, and would have constrained me to abide with them all night; but being engaged to return back to Gloucester, I hasted thither through the rain, and expounded in the Boothall to about five thousand people. They behaved excellently well, and hung upon me to hear the word. All was hushed and solemn; and my delivering the word from a place just before where the judges sit, rendered it very awful. Oh, that I could plead the cause of my Lord and King, even Jesus Christ, with greater power!

Monday, April 16. Preached with an extraordinary presence of God amongst us at my brother's field about ten in the morning. Received a most comfortable packet of letters, giving me an account of the success of the gospel; visited the prison, took a little refreshment, preached to near a thousand at Oxnell, seven miles from Gloucester, being invited thither by the reverend Mr Pauncefoot, a worthy minister of Jesus Christ; then