with them for Gravesend. My heart was much enlarged in intercession. The evening was exceeding calm, the sky clear, and all things conspired to praise that glorious and lofty One that inhabits eternity, who" stretcheth forth the heavens like a curtain, and holdeth the waters in the hollow of his hand."

About seven at night, God brought us safe to Gravesend, where Mr H. received both me and my friends most courteously, and loaded us with many benefits. The good Lord have mercy on him in that day.

We spent the evening very agreeably in prayer and singing, and then betook ourselves to sleep, having before exhorted one another to prepare our spices and ointments of praise and thanksgiving, and to rest on the approaching sabbath, according to the command

ment.

Sunday, January 1. Blessed be God for the happy beginning of a new year! for it has been a day of fat things. We rose in the morning, and retired to an adjacent hill with my friends in prayer; and afterwards were most agreeably surprised with the coming of several more London friends, (whom I love as my own soul,) who came all night on the water to see me.

About ten we went to church, where I preached; and the curate was so kind, at our request, as to give us the sacrament.

In the afternoon I preached again to a more numerous congregation than in the morning. And being to stay there but one Lord's day, I was pressed to preach and read prayers a third time, at six in the evening. It was a thing I found entirely new; but, upon the curate's readily complying to lend the pulpit, and my friends and the people's importunity, I looked upon it as a call of Providence, and accordingly read prayers and preached to a very thronged auditory; and this I did without notes, having brought but two written sermons with me. Oh! who can express the loving kindness of the Lord, or show forth all his praise?

Monday, January 2, 1737-8. Sat up till twelve a night, to take leave of some of my friends, whose busi

ness obliged them to be at London the next morning; and then, after three or four hours rest, rose and walked to Greenhithe with the remainder of my friends, intending to take a boat there, and so return to my charge at Purfleet. But just as we were entering the boat, providentially came a boy, telling us the Whitaker was falling down to Gravesend, and ready to sail, it not actually under sail; we immediately hastened back from whence we came, and we went on our way rejoicing.

This

About eleven we reached Gravesend, and happily found the ship was not to sail till the morrow. put gladness into my heart, as it gave me an opportunity of settling some affairs of consequence, and conversing a little longer with my dear friends.

About twelve o'clock I went on board, leaving my friends to dine on shore. And as I went along, God was pleased to show me he had given a blessing to my discourses; the people seemed greatly alarmed, and wished me heartily a good voyage, and the very sailors were surprisingly affectionate. Blessed be God for setting his seal to my unworthy ministry. Spent the remainder of the day in settling things on board, visiting the sick, teaching the children, and reading prayers, and preaching. All love, all glory be to God through Christ.

In the evening I went on shore to my friends, prayed, sung psalms, and expounded (I think) a chapter out of the holy scriptures to them, and was not a little comforted. Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Tuesday, January 3. Went on board, read prayers and preached, visited the sick, and then took a final leave, as I thought, of my friends. Spent the afternoon in writing letters and putting things in order. And (what I esteemed a great blessing) though I had been used to so large a sphere of action, yet my change of life gave me not the least uneasiness, but my heart was refreshed with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

This evening began to read prayers between decks, judging it would be too cold above.

At night I went, according to custom, on shore to Gravesend, where I was agreeably surprised by seeing my friends. I took leave of them in the morning once more, the weather preventing their going to London. Here also Mr C. W. and Mr W. H. gave me the meeting, with whom we prayed, sang psalms, commended one another to God, and parted the next morning like Christian brethren.

Wednesday, January 4. Came on board at ten in the morning, but could not have public prayers, because the soldiers were engaged with their officer; but I visited the sick and perceived the soldiers were attentive to hear me, when I applied myself to those around the sick persons. I also distributed amongst the sick of my London friends kind presents, to convince them I had a love for, and to gain an access to their souls. I visited the sick, read prayers, and preached extempore (as I constantly do morning and evening) and went with Mr H. in the evening on shore to Gravesend, where we interceded for friends, expounded a chapter, and went to bed with that peace of mind which passeth all understanding. Oh, that the sensual, careless, half christian could but know the comforts of religion!

Thursday, January 5. This day God was with me of a truth, I was refreshed in spirit, by hearing from some London friends, and receiving some kind presents from persons I could never have thought of; was assisted much in writing letters, came on board, read prayers, and preached; visited the sick, and had God with me all day long; began to catechise six or seven of the young soldiers on open deck. I was surprisec they would submit to it, but God has the hearts of all men in his hands.

Great civility was shown me on board by the officers, and captain W. sent his boat to fetch me to Gravesend, whither I went, having first visited the sick, read prayers, and preached on deck.

When on shore, I wrote several letters, expounded a chapter to a room full of people. Catechised the children of the house and three of my own companions,

and then went to bed full of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

My health of body, I could perceive increased, and my soul was much refreshed. I now began once more to feel the comforts of a retired life, and blessed God from my heart, that he had called me whither I was going.

Friday, January 6. About nine I came on board, read prayers, and preached between decks, and Mr H. sang a psalm, as he generally does. In the mean while, the ship loosed from Gravesend, and sailed by twelve o'clock to the Nore. We had a very brisk gale of wind.

God gave me great comfort, and I went between decks, and sat down on the ground, and read Arndt's "True Christianity;" and part of the time I stood upon deck, and admired the wonders of God in the deep.

Three or four were added to-day to my catechumens, some of whom I had great hopes of. Read prayers, preached upon deck near the stern, having no place for retirement, talked to the sailors on the fore-castle, wrote my journal, and climbed up into my cabin to bed, where my friend H. and I lay as comfortably as on a bed of state.

Some of the passengers, amongst whom was Mr H., began now to be sick; but I felt very little of it; on the contrary God enabled me to rejoice with exceeding great joy, my heart was warmed by talking to the sailors, and I was so lifted even above myself, that I could have watched unto prayer and praise all night.

I found that above a hundred, exclusive of the ship's company, were on board: God grant that not one of them may perish through my neglect.

Saturday, January 7. Breakfasted with some of the gentlemen in the great cabin, who were very civil, and let me put in a word for God.

Read public prayers, and began to expound the Lord's prayer to the soldiers by way of sermon, and

God enabled me to do it with power. After that I instructed my catechumens, who now amounted to twelve or thirteen. God made them soldiers of Christ as well as of the king.

Had an hour's conversation with a gentleman on board, on our fall in Adam, and the necessity of our new birth in Christ Jesus, and hoped it was not unpleasant to him.

To-day obtained what I prayed for, viz. a place to retire into; for captain W. on my bare mentioning my want of such a thing, offered me the free use of his own cabin, a place very commodious for that purpose.

Catechised those who went with me on open deck, for example to others, and found they improved. Captain W. the two cadets, and sergeants, sat very serious and attentive. But when the captain of the soldiers came, my heart sank a little, though without any reason; however I did not leave off. O, corruption thou art my sister!

Read public prayers, and finished my exposition of the Lord's prayer to the soldiers, at which they attended very orderly. At night I and my five companions went upon deck, and interceded and sang psalms, by which my heart was much enlarged. The weather was very cold and the wind magnified that God, at whose word the stormy wind ariseth.

Now I fulfilled my promise to the Lord's people, and while the winds and storms were blowing over me, I made earnest supplications to God for them.

The ship continued at the Nore all this day; but I hope we made some advances towards eternity.

In the evening the wind blew very fresh indeed; and had our ship been in the Downs, we should have been in great danger. How wisely doth God provide for us! Most people began now to be sea-sick, particularly J. D. one of my companions was grievously afflicted.

Sunday, January 8. My friend H. and I have great reason to be thankful to God; for we slept as well as we could desire, though the wind blew very hard, and