returned, and preached my farewell discourse to more people than ever in the Boothall, and afterwards found my strength renewed, and my soul filled with divine love and joy in the Holy Ghost. Oh, what a mystery is the hidden life of a christian!

Had many merciful deliverances in going to and returning from Newent. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name.

Received letters from Abergavenny, acquainting me how many had been convinced since I was there. Heard of one that had received the Holy Ghost immediately upon my preaching Christ. Received a letter from one under strong convictions; and, indeed, there is scarce a day passes over my head, but God shows me that he works effectually upon the hearts of many by my ministry. A proof this, I am sure, that the word preached is not my own, but God's. May he always own it in this manner. Even so Lord Jesus.

Tuesday, April 17. Spent this morning in visiting a private society, and conversing with many religious friends, who came from far to take their leave. About eleven, by the bishop's permission, I baptized, at the church of St Mary de Crypt, Mr Thomas W——-d, a professed quaker, about sixty years of age, who was convinced of the necessity of being born again of water, as well as the Spirit. Many of Christ's faithful servants attended on the prayers around him, and I believe the Holy Ghost was with us of a truth. After the solemnity was over, I gave a word of exhortation from the font; and it being the place where I myself not long since had been baptized, it gave me an opportunity of reflecting on my own frequent breaches of my baptismal vow, and proving the necessity of the new birth from the office of our church. God, I believe, gave it his blessing.

After this, we returned, and gave private thanks; and having dined, prayed with, and taken leave of my weeping friends, and dispersed a great many of my sermons amongst the poor, I took horse. But, oh, what love did the people express for me! How many came to me weeping, and telling me what God had

done for their souls by my ministry! Oh, how did they pray for my return amongst them! Lord, I dared not expect such success among my own countrymen. When I came to the city, I found the devil had painted me in most horrible colours: for it was currently reported, that I was really mad; that I had said, I was the Holy Ghost, and that I had walked bareheaded through Bristol streets singing psalms. But God was pleased to show them that the devil was a liar, and that the words that I spoke were not those of a madman, but the words of soberness and truth. It often pleases me to think how God makes way for me into the hearts of his people, nay, even of his enemies, wherever 1 go. My first asking leave for the pulpit, and preaching in the fields, notwithstanding they are denied, puts me in mind of the children of Israel first entreating leave of Og, Sihon, &c. to go quietly through their land, but fighting their way through when leave was denied. Like them, by the strength of my divine leader, I shall at last be more than conqueror over all the Canaanites, and carnal teachers among the Israel of God.

CHELTENHAM, SEVEN MILES From Gloucester. Being earnestly invited by several of the inhabitants, I came hither, attended with about a dozen friends, by five o'clock; and the use of the pulpit being refused me, I preached on the bowling-green belonging to the Plough-inn. When I came in, the town I perceived was alarmed, by the people standing at their doors. At the first I found myself quite shut up. My heart and head were dead as a stone; but when I came to the inn my soul began to be enlarged. I felt a freedom in my spirit, and was enabled to preach with extraordinary power to near two thousand people. Many were convicted. One was drowned in tears, because she had said I was crazy; and some were so filled with the Holy Ghost, that they were almost unable to support themselves under it. This, I know, is foolishness to the natural and letter-learned men; but I write this for the comfort of God's children. They know what these things mean.

Wednesday, April 18. Preached this morning with power to a much larger congregation than we had last night. Several servants of God said, they never saw the like before. Whilst I was preaching I saw the people melted into tears, and, by their looks, showed that the Divine Presence was amongst them. We shall see greater things than these: for almost every day persons of all denominations come unto me, telling how they interceded in my behalf. And it shall now be my particular business, wherever I go, to bring all the children of God, notwithstanding their differences, to rejoice together. How dare we not converse with those that have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

EVESHAM IN WORCESTERSHIRE, TWELVE MILES FROM CHELTENHAM.

Continued at Cheltenham, for the sake of a little retirement, and some private business, till after dinner, and got safe to Evesham (where Mr Seward's relations live) about seven at night. I found there had been much talk about my coming, God wisely ordering it to engage and excite the people's attention. Several persons came to see me, amongst whom was Mr Benjamin Seward, whom God has been pleased to call by his free grace very lately. Both his circumstances before, and in conversion, much resemble those of St Paul; for he was bred up at the feet of Gamaliel, being at Cambridge for some years. As touching the law, so far as outward morality went, he was blameless; concerning zeal, opposing the church. My proceedings he could not like, and he had once a mind, he said, to write against Mr Law's enthusiastic notions in his "Christian Perfection." But lately it has pleased God to reveal his dear Son in him, and to cast him down to the earth, as he did Saul, by eight days' sickness; in which time he scarce ever eat, or drank, or slept, and underwent great inward agonies and tortures. After this, the scales fell more and more from the eyes of his mind. God sent a poor travelling woman that came

VOL. VI.

to sell straw toys, to instruct him in the nature of our second birth, and now he is resolved to prepare for holy orders, and to preach Christ and those truths straightway in every synagogue, which ouce he endeavoured to destroy. He is a gentleman of a very large fortune, which he has now devoted to God. And I write this to show how far a man may go, and yet know nothing of Jesus Christ. Behold, here was one who constantly attended on the means of grace, exact in his morals, humane and courteous in his conversation, who gave much in alms, was frequent in private duties; and yet, till about six weeks ago, as destitute of any saving experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ, as those on whom his name was never called, and who still sit in darkness, and the shadow of death. Blessed be God, that although not many rich, not many mighty, not many noble are called, yet some are. Who would but be accounted a fool for Christ's sake? How often has my companion and honoured friend Mr William Seward been deemed a madman, even by this very brother, for going to Georgia? But lo! God has now made him an instrument of converting his brother, This more and more convinces me that we must be despised, ere we can be vessels fit for God's use. As for my own part, I find, by happy experience, the more I am contemned, the more God delights to honour me, in bringing home souls to Christ. And I write this for the encouragement of my fellow labourers, who have all manner of evil spoken against them falsely for Christ's sake. Let them not be afraid, but rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for the Spirit of God, and of glory, shall rest upon their souls.

Thursday, April 19. Went to Badsey, about two miles from Evesham, where Mr Seward's eldest brother lives. We were most kindly received, and I hope a true christian church will be in their house. About four in the evening, the churches, both at Evesham, Bengeworth, and Badsey, being denied, I preached from the Cross, in the middle of Evesham-street, to a great congregation, and went to Badsey. and preached

in Mr Seward's brother's yard to a great number o people, many of which came from Evesham to hear me again. God grant it may strike home to their hearts.

Friday, April 20. Preached about nine in the morning at the Cross, went to public worship, and received the sacrament. Preached at Badsey at five in the evening, and returned and expounded in the town-hall; which, though very large, was quite thronged. The recorder himself procured the keys for us, and great numbers of people were truly affected. The standing in the judge's place, and speaking from thence, gave me awful thoughts of God; and the consideration that I was speaking in the name of our great High Priest and Judge, animated me very much. Oh, that I had a thousand tongues, they should all be employed in his service.

Oxon.

Saturday, April 21. Preached in the morning at Badsey to a weeping audience, joined in prayer, and set out for Oxon, which I reached about ten at night. I had been much pressed in spirit to hasten hither, and now I found the reason for it. For, alas! the enemy had got great advantage over three of our christian brethren, and driven them to deny Christ's visible church upon earth. They had so far influenced and deluded Mr Kinchin, a sincere and humble minister of Jesus Christ, that I found, through their persuasion, he had actually quitted his fellowship, and intended to resign his living. This, I must needs confess, gave me a great shock. For I knew what dreadful consequences would attend a needless separation from the established church. As for my own part I can see no reason for my leaving the church, however I am treated by the corrupt members and ministers of it: for I judge of the state of a church, not from the practice of its members, but its primitive and public constitutions. And so long as I think the articles of the church of England are agreeable to scripture, I am resolved to