I afterward called on Mrs. E-r, with whom was one lately come from Bristol, in deep anguish of spirit. We cried to God, and he soon declared his salvation, so that both their mouths were filled with his praise. Thence I went to a poor woman, who had been long in despair. I was glad to meet with Mrs. R- there; the person mentioned in Mr. Whitefield's Journal, who, after three years' madness (so called,) was so deeply convinced of sin at Beech-lane, and soon after rejoiced in God her Saviour.

Thur. 6.—I was sent for by one who began to feel herself a sinner. But a fine lady unexpectedly coming in, there was scarce room for me to speak. The fourth person in the company was a poor unbred girl; who beginning to tell what God had done for her soul, the others looked one at another, as in amaze, but did not open their mouths. I then exhorted them, not to cease from crying to God, till they too could say, as she did, "My Beloved is mine, and I am his : I am as sure of it, as that I am alive. For his Spirit bears witness with my spirit, that I am a child of God."

Sun. 9.-I declared to about ten thousand, in Moorfields, what they must do to be saved. My mother went with us, about five, to Ken nington, where were supposed to be twenty thousand people. I again insisted on that foundation of all our hope, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved." From Kennington I went to a society at Lambeth. The house being filled, the rest stood in the garden. The deep attention they showed, gave me a good hope, that they will not all be forgetful hearers. Thence I went to our society at Fetter-lane, and exhorted them to love one another. The want of love was a general complaint. We laid it open before our Lord. We soon found he had sent us an answer of peace. Evil surmisings vanished away. The flame kindled again as at the first, and our hearts were knit together.

Mon. 10.-I accepted a pressing invitation to go to Plaistow. At five in the evening I expounded there, and at eight again. But most of the hearers were very quiet and unconcerned. In the morning, therefore, I spoke stronger words. But it is only the voice of the Son of God which is able to wake the dead. Wed. 12.-In the evening, at Fetter-lane, I described the life of faith; and many who had fancied themselves strong therein, found they were no more than new-born babes. At eight I exhorted our brethren to keep close to the Church, and to all the ordinances of God; and to aim only at living "a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty." Thur. 13.-A serious clergyman desired to know, in what points we differed from the Church of England. I answered, "To the best of my knowledge, in none. The doctrines we preach are the doctrines of the Church of England; indeed, the fundamental doctrines of the Church, clearly laid down, both in her Prayers, Articles, and Homilies." He asked, "In what points, then, do you differ from the other clergy of the Church of England?" I answered, "In none from that part of the clergy who adhere to the doctrines of the Church; but from that part of the clergy who dissent from the Church, (though they own it not,) I differ in the points following:

"First, They speak of justification, either as the same thing with sanctification, or as something consequent upon it. I believe justification

Fri. 31.-I left Bristol, and reached London about eight morning. In the afternoon I heard a sermon wherein it w that our repentance was not sincere, but feigned and 1 1. If we relapsed into sin soon after repenting: especia did not avoid all the occasions of sin; or if, 3. We relapse and most of all, if, 4. Our hearts were hardened thereb hypocrite was I, (if this be so,) for near twice ten years! is not so. I know every one under the Law is even as ) one when he begins to see his fallen state, and to feel th abiding on him, relapses into the sin that most easily be after repenting of it. Sometimes he avoids, and at m cannot persuade himself to avoid, the occasions of relapses are frequent, and of consequence his heart is and more. And yet all this time he is sincerely striving can say unfeignedly, without hypocrisy, "The thi approve not; the evil which I would not, that I do even then "present with" him; "but how to perf good" he "finds not." Nor can he, with all his si one of these four marks of hypocrisy, till, "being ju hath "peace with God, through Jesus Christ our L

This helpless state I took occasion to describe eight or ten thousand people, from those words of t merable troubles are come about me; my sins h upon me, that I am not able to look up: yea, they than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath fail

Mon. Sept. 3.-I talked largely with my moth till a short time since, she had scarce heard such the having forgiveness of sins now, or God's with our spirit: much less did she imagine that privilege of all true believers. "Therefore," s ask for it myself. But two or three weeks a was pronouncing those words, in delivering the of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for through my heart, and I knew God for Chris all my sins."

i

I asked, whether her father (Dr. Annesley` and, whether she had not heard him preach it he had it himself; and declared, a little befo than forty years he had no darkness, no f being "accepted in the Beloved." But tha: remember to have heard him preach, no n whence she supposed he also looked upon a few; not as promised to all the people of Both at Mr. B's at six, and at Dow more than the houses could contain. convinced of sin came to me the next mc had been mourning long, and earnestly We had scarce begun, when the enemy screamed out, as in the pangs of death within a quarter of an hour she was full understanding."

Se

d

tho

of the

t ever the rea

the tru

now also

are those two living of sin, that

n's inability

; (called by erty of spirit,

S8.

n, in such an were too big for

well as her heart → and her groans

155

If. We id he did crucified it revived.

the weary any roared they should his love shed

ad desired me sired to receive persuasion, that rest to her soul.

D

-e gave her iving faith. This olved to obey God ›" her "in breaking oved, she knew she I was expounding at t be uttered.

came to desire my id been any otherwise l of sin. And I cannot he will give "medicine to about ten thousand, it, "The kingdom of God and peace, and joy in the to about twenty thousand, Thence I went to Lambeth, 1, of many who were present) mit sin."

1

Plaistow, and took my leave arn, a person galloping swiftly, th man and horse; but without who saves both man and beast! of our brethren who was married ociety at St. James's, weary and ened me for his own work; as he it eight, in Winchester Yard, where ven or twelve hundred persons; to thing to pay," God would "frankly

ernoon to a society at Deptford, and s Hall; which holds (by computation) press both within and without was very e expounding, there being a large vault ch supported the floor broke. The floor asioned much noise and confusion among ree days before, a man had filled the vault

So that the floor, after sinking a foot or d I went on without interruption.

to be wholly distinct from sanctification, and necessarily antecedent to it.

Secondly, They speak of our own holiness, or good works, as the cause of our justification; or, that for the sake of which, on account of which, we are justified before God. I believe, neither our own holiness, nor good works, are any part of the cause of our justification; but that the death and righteousness of Christ are the whole and sole cause of it; or, that for the sake of which, on account of which, we are justified before God.

"Thirdly, They speak of good works as a condition of justification, necessarily previous to it. I believe no good work can be previous to justification, nor, consequently, a condition of it; but that we are justified (being till that hour ungodly, and, therefore, incapable of doing any good work) by faith alone, faith without works, faith (though producing all, yet) including no good work.

Fourthly, They speak of sanctification (or holiness) as if it were an outward thing, as if it consisted chiefly, if not wholly, in those two points, 1. The doing no harm; 2. The doing good, (as it is called,) that is, the using the means of grace, and helping our neighbour.

"I believe it to be an inward thing, namely, the life of God in the soul of man; a participation of the Divine nature; the mind that was in Christ; or, the renewal of our heart, after the image of him that created us.

Lastly, They speak of the new birth as an outward thing, as if it were no more than baptism; or, at most, a change from outward wickedness to outward goodness; from a vicious to (what is called) a virtuous life. I believe it to be an inward thing; a change from inward wickedness to inward goodness; an entire change of our inmost nature from the image of the devil (wherein we are born) to the image of God; a change from the love of the creature to the love of the Creator; from earthly and sensual, to heavenly and holy affections;-in a word, a change from the tempers of the spirits of darkness, to those of the angels of God in heaven.

"There is, therefore, a wide, essential, fundamental, irreconcilable difference between us; so that if they speak the truth as it is in Jesus, I am found a false witness before God. But if I teach the way of God in truth, they are blind leaders of the blind."

Sun. 16.-I preached at Moorfields to about ten thousand, and at Kennington Common to, I believe, near twenty thousand, on those words of the calmer Jews to St. Paul, "We desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest; for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against." At both places I described the real difference between what is generally called Christianity, and the true old Christianity, which, under the new name of Methodism, is now also every where spoken against.

Mon. 17.-I preached again at Plaistow, on, "Blessed are those that mourn." It pleased God to give us, in that hour, two living instances of that piercing sense both of the guilt and power of sin, that dread of the wrath of God, and that full conviction of man's inability either to remove the power, or atone for the guilt, of sin; (called by the world, despair;) in which properly consist that poverty of spirit, and mourning, which are the gate of Christian blessedness.

Tues. 18.-A young woman came to us at Islington, in such an agony as I have seldom seen. Her sorrow and fear were too big for utterance; so that after a few words, her strength as well as her heart failing, she sunk down to the ground. Only her sighs and her groans

showed she was yet alive. We cried unto God in her behalf. We claimed the promises made to the weary and heavy-laden; and he did not cast out our prayer. She saw her Saviour, as it were, crucified before her eyes. She laid hold on him by faith, and her spirit revived. At Mr. B's, at six, I was enabled earnestly to call all the weary and heavy-laden; and at Mr. C's, at eight, when many roared aloud; some of whom utterly refused to be comforted, till they should feel their souls at rest in the blood of the Lamb, and have his love shed abroad in their hearts.

Thur. 20.-Mrs. C—, being in deep heaviness, had desired me to meet her this afternoon. She had long earnestly desired to receive the holy communion, having an unaccountably strong persuasion, that God would manifest himself to her therein, and give rest to her soul. But her heaviness being now greatly increased, Mr. D

This

-e gave her that fatal advice,-not to communicate till she had living faith. still added to her perplexity. Yet at length she resolved to obey God rather than man. And "he was made known unto" her "in breaking of bread." In that moment she felt her load removed, she knew she was accepted in the Beloved; and all the time I was expounding at Mr. B- s, was full of that peace which cannot be uttered.

Fri. 21.-Another of Dr. Monro's patients came to desire my advice. I found no reason to believe she had been any otherwise mad than every one is, who is deeply convinced of sin. And I cannot doubt, but if she will trust in the living God, he will give "medicine to heal her sickness." Sun. 23.-I declared to about ten thousand, in Moorfields, with great enlargement of spirit, "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." At Kennington I enforced to about twenty thousand, that great truth," One thing is needful." Thence I went to Lambeth, and showed (to the amazement, it seemed, of many who were present) how" he that is born of God doth not commit sin."

Mon. 24.-I preached once more at Plaistow, and took my leave of the people of that place. In my return, a person galloping swiftly, rode full against me, and overthrew both man and horse; but without any hurt to either. Glory be to Him who saves both man and beast! Tues. 25.-After dining with one of our brethren who was married this day, I went, as usual, to the society at St. James's, weary and weak in body. But God strengthened me for his own work; as he did, at six, at Mr. B's; and, at eight, in Winchester Yard, where it was believed were present eleven or twelve hundred persons; to whom I declared, if "they had nothing to pay," God would "frankly forgive them all."

Thur. 27.-I went in the afternoon to a society at Deptford, and thence, at six, came to Turner's Hall; which holds (by computation) two thousand persons. The press both within and without was very great. In the beginning of the expounding, there being a large vault beneath, the main beam which supported the floor broke. The floor immediately sunk, which occasioned much noise and confusion among the people. But, two or three days before, a man had filled the vault with hogsheads of tobacco. So that the floor, after sinking a foot or two, rested upon them, and I went on without interruption.