"6. That propriety be inviolably preserved, and none suffered to invade the property of another in the smallest matter, though it were but of the value of a farthing, or a pin; which they might not take from the owner, without, much less against, his consent. This rule can never be too much inculcated on the minds of children; and from the want of parents or governors doing it as they ought, proceeds that shameful neglect of justice which we may observe in the world.

7. That promises be strictly observed; and a gift once bestowed, and so the right passed away from the donor, be not resumed, but left to the disposal of him to whom it was given; unless it were conditional, and the condition of the obligation not performed.

"8. That no girl be taught to work till she can read very well; and then that she be kept to her work with the same application, and for the same time, that she was held to in reading. This rule also is much to be observed; for the putting children to learn sewing before they can read perfectly, is the very reason, why so few women can read fit to be heard, and never to be well understood."

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Sun. 8.-I cried aloud, in Ratcliffe Square, Why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Only one poor man was exceeding noisy and turbulent; but in a moment God touched his heart: he hung down his head; tears covered his face, and his voice was heard no more. I was constrained this evening to separate from the believers, some who did not show their faith by their works. One of these, Sam. Prig, was deeply displeased, spoke many very bitter words, and went abruptly away. The next morning he called; told me, neither my brother nor I preached the Gospel, or knew what it meant. I asked, "What do we preach then?" He said, "Heathen morality: Tully's offices, and no more. So I wash my hands of you both. We shall see what you will come to in a little time."

Wed. 11. He sent me a note, demanding the payment of one hundred pounds, which he had lent me about a year before, to pay the workmen at the Foundery. On Friday morning, at eight, he came and said, he wanted his money, and could stay no longer. I told him, I would endeavour to borrow it; and desired him to call in the evening. But he said, he could not stay so long, and must have it at twelve o'clock. Where to get it, I knew not. Between nine and ten one came and offered me the use of a hundred pounds for a year: but two others had been with me before, to make the same offer. I accepted the bank note which one of them brought; and saw that God is over all!

Mon. 16.-I rode to Oxford, and the next day to Evesham. On Wednesday and Thursday, in riding from Evesham to Bristol, I read over that surprising book, "The Life of Ignatius Loyola ;" surely one of the greatest men that ever was engaged in the support of so bad a cause! I wonder any man should judge him to be an enthusiast: no; but he knew the people with whom he had to do: and setting out (like count Z- -) with a full persuasion that he might use guile to promote the glory of God, or (which he thought the same thing) the interest of his church, he acted, in all things, consistent with his principles. In the evening I met my brother and Mr. Graves; who being able to delay it no longer, at length sent the following letter to the Fellows of St. Mary Magdalen college, in Oxford :

Bristol, Aug. 20, 1742. "GENTLEMEN,-In December, 1740, I signed a paper containing the following words: I, Charles Caspar Graves, do hereby declare, that I do renounce the modern practice and principles of the persons commonly called Methodists, namely, of preaching in fields, of assembling together and expounding the Holy Scriptures in private houses, and elsewhere than in churches, in an irregular and disorderly manner, and their pretensions to an extraordinary inspiration and inward feeling of the Holy Spirit. I do further declare my conformity to the Liturgy of the Church of England, and my unfeigned assent and consent to the articles thereof, commonly called the Thirty-nine Articles. Lastly, I do declare, that Í am heartily sorry that I have given offence and scandal, by frequenting the meetings and attending the expositions of the persons commonly called Methodists; and that I will not frequent their meetings, nor attend their expositions for the future; nor take upon me to preach and expound the Scripture, in the manner practised by them.

'CHARLES CASPAR GRAVES.'

"I believe myself indispensably obliged, openly to declare before God and the world, that the motives whereby I was induced to sign that paper were, partly a sinful fear of man; partly an improper deference to the judgment of those whom I accounted wiser than myself; and, lastly, a resolution that if my own judgment should at any time be better informed, I would then openly retract, in the presence of God and man, whatever I should be convinced I had said or done amiss. Accordingly, having now had (besides a strong conviction immediately consequent thereon) many opportunities of informing my judgment better, and being fully convinced of my fault, I do hereby declare my sincere repentance, for my wicked compliance with those oppressive men, who, without any colour of law, divine or human, imposed such a condition of receiving a testimonial upon me.

"I do further declare, that I know no principles of the Methodists (so called) which are contrary to the word of God; nor any practices of them but what are agreeable both to Scripture and to the laws of the Church of England: that I believe, in particular, their preaching the Gospel in the fields, (being first forbid so to do in churches, although 'a dispensation of the Gospel is committed to them, and wo is unto them if they preach not the Gospel,') or in private houses, or in any part of His dominion who filleth heaven and earth, can never be proved to be contrary to any written law either of God or man: that I am not apprized of their preaching any where in an irregular, disorderly manner; neither of their pretending to any extraordinary inspiration, or extraordinary feelings of the Holy Spirit; but to those ordinary ones only, which, if a man have not, he is without hope and without God in the world.'

"I do yet further declare, that (whatever indiscretion I may in other respects have been guilty of) I know of no just offence or scandal which I ever gave by frequenting the meetings, or attending the expositions, of the persons commonly called Methodists; and that I verily believe no offence was ever taken thereat, unless either by persons loaded with prejudice, or by those who enter not into the kingdom of heaven themselves, and if others would enter in, suffer them not. I do, lastly, declare, that Í look upon myself to be under no kind of obligation, (except only, that I do still assent and consent to the Articles and Liturgy of the Church,) to observe any thing contained in that scandalous paper, so unchristianly imposed upon me. Witness my hand,

"CHARLES CASPAR GRAVES." After having regulated the society here and in Kingswood, I set out again for London. On Monday, 30, I read over that excellent tract,

Mr. Middleton's Essay on Church Government, so nicely avoiding the two extremes of either exalting or depressing the regal power.

Tuesday, 31.-I read once more the Life of that good and wise (though much mistaken) man, Gregory Lopez. Surely it must be a compliment made him by the biographer, (of which Gregory himself was in no wise worthy,) that "he ascribed all his virtues to the merits and mediation of the Queen of Heaven." We reached London in the afternoon. Friday, September 3.-I preached on Phil. i, 9: "This I pray, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;" or rather "feeling," as it is in the margin. It pleased God to make this discourse an occasion of discovering such wiles of Satan as it never entered into my heart to conceive.

Sat. 4.-I was pressed to visit a poor murderer in Newgate, whe was much afflicted both in body and soul. I objected; it could not be; for all the turnkeys, as well as the keeper, were so good Christians, they abhorred the name of a Methodist, and had absolutely refused to admit me even to one who earnestly begged it the morning he was to die. However, I went, and found, by a surprising turn, that all the doors were now open to me. I exhorted the sick malefactor to cry unto God with all his might, for grace to repent and believe the Gospel. It was not long before the rest of the felons flocked round, to whom I spoke strong words concerning the Friend of sinners, which they received with as great signs of amazement as if it had been a voice from heaven. When I came down into the Common Hall, (I think they called it,) one of the prisoners there asking me a question, gave me occasion to speak among them also; more and more still running together, while I declared, God was "not willing any of them should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

expe

Mon. 6.-Finding many had been offended at the sermon I preached on Friday night, especially those who were supposed to be strong in faith, I determined to examine the matter thoroughly. Accordingly I desired M. C., M. F., E. H., and A. G., and a few others, to meet me with Sarah Cl., Jane J—n, and Ann P., to whom they had said most concerning the point in question. I then heard each of them relate her experience at large. I afterward examined them severally, touching the circumstances which I had not understood; on which I then talked with several others also. And thus far I approved of their rience, (because agreeable to the written word,) as to their feeling the working of the Spirit of God, in peace, and joy, and love. But as to what some of them said further, concerning feeling the blood of Christ running upon their arms, or going down their throat, or poured like warm water upon their breast or heart; I plainly told them, the utmost I could allow, without renouncing both Scripture and reason, was, that some of these circumstances might be from God (though I could not affirm they were) working in an unusual manner, no way essential either to justification or sanctification; but that all the rest I must believe to be the mere empty dreams of a heated imagination.

Wed. 8.-I observed that the leaven of stillness is not yet purged out from among us. One of our brethren saying, he was uneasy because he had wilfully neglected the Lord's Supper, another replied, then his faith was weak; else his peace could not be shaken by such

little things. Yea, but I think such little things as these will shake the peace of any true believer, viz. a wilful breach of any commandment of God. If it does not shake us, we are asleep in the devil's arms.

Thur. 9.-I buried the body of Lucy Godshall, one of the first women bands at Fetter-lane. After pressing toward the mark for more than two years, since she had known the pardoning love of God, she was for some time weary and faint in her mind, till I put her out of the bands. God blessed this greatly to her soul, so that in a short time she was admitted again. Soon after, being at home, she felt the love of God, in an unusual manner, poured into her heart. She fell down upon her knees, and delivered up her soul and body into the hands of God in the instant the use of all her limbs was taken away, and she was in a burning fever. For three days she mightily praised God, and rejoiced in him all the day long. She then cried out, "Now Satan hath desired to have me, that he may sift me as wheat." Immediately darkness and heaviness fell upon her, which continued till Saturday, the 4th instant. On Sunday the light shone again upon her heart. About ten in the evening, one said to her, "Jesus is ready to receive your soul:" she said, "Amen! Amen!" closed her eyes and died.

Sun. 12.-I was desired to preach in an open place, commonly called the Great Gardens, lying between Whitechapel and Coverlet Fields, where I found a vast multitude gathered together. Taking knowledge that a great part of them were little acquainted with the things of God, I called upon them in the words of our Lord, "Repent ye; and believe the Gospel." Many of the beasts of the people laboured much to disturb those who were of a better mind. They endeavoured to drive in a herd of cows among them; but the brutes were wiser than their masters. They then threw whole showers of stones, one of which struck me just between the eyes; but I felt no pain at all; and, when I had wiped away the blood, went on testifying with a loud voice, that God hath given to them that believe, "not the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." And by the spirit which now appeared through the whole congregation, I plainly saw what a blessing it is when it is given us, even in the lowest degree, to suffer for his name's sake.

Mon. 13.--I preached, about nine, at Windsor; and the next evening came to Bristol. I spent the remainder of this, and the following week, in examining those of the society; speaking severally to each, that I might more perfectly know the state of their souls to Godward.

Thur. 23. In the evening, almost as soon as I began to pray in the society, a voice of lamentation and bitter mourning was heard, from the whole congregation; but in a while, loud thanksgivings were mixed therewith, which in a short space spread over all; so that nothing was to be heard on every side, but "Praise to God and the Lamb for ever and ever!" Fri. 24.-I had notes from nineteen persons, desiring to return God thanks. Some of them follow:

"John Merriman, a blind man, desires to return thanks to Almighty God, for the discovery of his love to him, an old sinner." "One desires to return God thanks, for giving her a token of his love, in removing all prejudices, and giving her love to all mankind." "Edith W- desires to return thanks for great and unspeakable mercies, which the Lord

was pleased to reveal to her heart; even telling me, 'I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, and thy sins I will remember no more.' And I desire that the praise of the Lord may be ever in my heart." "Ann Simmonds desires to return hearty thanks to God for the great mercies she received last night; for she has a full assurance of her redemption in the blood of Christ." 66 Mary K desires to return thanks to God for giving her a fresh sense of her forgiveness." "Mary F― desires to return thanks for that the Lord hath made her triumph over sin, earth, and hell." "Mary W-n desires to return thanks to Almighty God for a fresh sense of forgiveness." 'Sir,-I desire to return humble thanks to Almighty God for the comfortable assurance of his pardoning love. "E. C-"

Many others took an opportunity of speaking to me, and declaring what God had done for their souls. But one came to me, Mrs. Sp―, who was still torn in pieces with sorrow, and doubts, and fears. Her chief fear, she said, was, that we are all Papists. I asked her, how she came to fear this, after she had heard us preach for near three years, and been more than a twelvemonth in the society. She said, "Why, it is not long since I met with a gentleman who told me, he was a Roman Catholic. And when I asked him, if Mr. Wesley was a Papist, he would not say yes or no; but only, Mr. W. is a very good man; and you do well to hear him.' Besides, it is but two or three nights since, as I was just setting out to come to the room, Miss Gr met me, and said, My dear friend, you sha'nt go; indeed you sha'nt; you don't know what you do. I assure you, Mr. W. is a Papist, and so am I; he converted me. You know how I used to pray to saints and to the virgin Mary; it was Mr. W. taught me when I was in the bands. And I saw him rock the cradle on Christmas eve: you know I scorn to tell a lie.' Well, but, said I, how comes it that none of the rest who are in the bands, have found this out as well as you? O,' replied she, 'they are not let into the secret yet; perhaps, if you was in the bands, you might not hear a word of it for a year or more. O, you can't imagine the depth of the design!" The maid at her back then fell a crying, and said, "Indeed, madam, Miss Gr talks so fine! Do, madam, mind what she says." So between one and the other, poor Mrs. Sp was utterly confounded.

Perhaps I need observe no more upon this, than that the Popish priest knew well, how much it would be for the interest of his church, to have me accounted a member of it; and that Miss Gr had lately been raving mad; (in consequence of a fever;) that, as such, she was tied down in bed; and, as soon as she was suffered to go abroad, went to Mr. Whitefield, to inquire of him whether she was not a Papist. But he quickly perceived she was only a lunatic, the nature of her disorder soon betraying itself. O that all who advance the same assertion with her, had as good a plea to urge in their excuse!

The next evening

Sun. 26. In the evening I rode to Marshfield. I reached Whitchurch. Tuesday, 28.-In the morning I preached at Great Marlow, on the Pharisee and the Publican. Many were surprised, and perhaps in some measure convinced, (but how short-lived are most of these convictions!) that it is very possible a man may be a Pharisee now ;-yea, though he be not a Methodist.

A little before twelve I came to Windsor. I was soon informed, that