and the fecond time together) about four years. But in the latter part of this time, I had many trials from 7. Wheatley's people. Mr. Wesley had been prevailed upon to take the Tabernacle, and to receive his people under his care. Wheatley ufed to call them "his dear Lambs," but fuch lion-like lambs did I never fee. Difcipline they knew nothing of: every one would do what was right in his own eyes. And our Do&rine was an abomination to them. Great part of them were grounded in Antinomianifm. The very found of Perfection they abhorred; they could hardly bear the word Holiness. Nothing was pleafing to them, but "Faith, Faith;" without a word either of its inward or outward fruits. 24. Between the firft and fecond time of my being at Norwich, I fpent fome time in Suffex. The first place that I preached at was Rye, where no Methodist had ever preached before. Yet there was no oppofition, but they received the word with joy and readinefs of mind. And many foon felt the burden of their fins, feveral of whom quickly found peace with God. Most of thefe very willingly joined together in a little Society. Some of these are lodged in Abraham's bofom; and others ftill remain walking in the way to Sion. 25. Hence I went to feveral country places. But they were not all fo peaceable as Rye. At the defire of a serious man I went to Hawkhurft; he had requefled me to preach at his house. About fix in the evening I began. But I had not spoke many words, before a numerous mob broke in, pulled me down from the place where I ftood, and forced me out of the house. Then they ftruck up my heels, and dragged me upon my back about half a mile, to a public-houfe, called Highgate, where I found many Gentlemen, with the Minister of the parish. They asked, by what authority do you preach? I answered, "By the authority of King George," and fhewed them my License. They spoke a little together, and said, "You may go about your bufinefs." But obferving the house was filled with a drunken mob, I faid, "Gentlemen, I will not go, unless I have a Conftable to guard me." They im mediately mediately fent for a Conftable, who guarded me to the house But as it was winter time, and the from whence I came. road very dirty, I was in a poor condition: being a good deal bruifed, and all my cloaths plaistered over with dirt. However, after I had got fome dry cloaths, and taken a little refreshment, I prayed with the family, and then God gave me quite and refreshing fleep. When I came to London, I applied to a Lawyer, who fent down Writs for five of the Ringleaders. But they quickly came to an agreement. They readily paid all the charges. And here ended our perfecution in Suffex. I found a thankful heart for a good King, good laws, and liberty of confcience. And about this time I had much of the prefence of the Lord: he was good to me, both as to my body and foul. I prayed much, and the Lord heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 26. In August 1778, I was stationed in Staffordshire, where Ifpent the year with much fatisfaction. I now look back on the labour of three and thirty years, and I do not repent of it. I am not grown weary, either of my Mafter, or the work I am engaged in. Though I am weak in body, and in the decline of life, my heart is ftill engaged in the caufe of God. I am never more happy than when I feel the love of Chrift in my heart, and am declaring his praise to others. There is nothing like the love of Chrift in the heart, to make us holy and happy. It is love alone that expels all fin out of the heart. Wherever love is wanting, there is hell: and where love fills the heart, there is heaven. This has been a medicine to me, ever fince I set out. When I was low, it was this that raised me up. When fin and Satan befet me on every fide, it was this that drove them all away. O love, how chearing is thy ray? LETTERS. LETT ER S. LETTER CXVII. [From Thomas Ward, Efq; to Sir Thomas Hedley, Knt. Serjeant at Law, concerning the Family at Gidding, in Huntingdonshire.] I Good Mr. Serjeant, Can give you but a fhort relation of my two hours ftay at Gidding. I came thither after Term, and found a fair houfe, fairly feated, to which I paffed through a fair grove and sweet walks, gardened on both fides, their livelyhood five hundred pounds per ann. A man servant brought me into a spacious parlour, whither foon after came to me the old gentlewoman's two fons; the younger, of a plain presence, but of able speech and parts, who (after I had deprecated any ill conceit of me, for fo unufual a vifit) entertained me very civilly, and with humility, yet faid, I was the first that ever came to them in that kind. After fome compliments, he faid, I fhould fee his mother, if I pleafed. I fhewing my defire, he went up into a chamber, and presently came his mother (a tall, ftraight, clear complexioned grave, matron, of eighty years of age,) and his eldeft brother, a fhort, black complexioned man, his apparel and hair fo fashioned, as made him fhew priest-like, and his fifter, married to one Mr. Cooles, by whom the hath fourteen or fifteen children, all which are in the houfe, which I faw not yet; and of these, and two or three maid-fervants, the family confifted. I faluted the mother, and daughter, not like nuns, but as we use to falute other women; after we were all fat circular wife, and my deprecations renewed to the other three, I defired, that they would give me liberty to speak ingenuously, what I conceived of any thing I fhould fee, or have heard of, without any diftafte to them. This being granted, I first told them what I had heard of the Nuns of Gidding; of two watching and praying all night; of their canonical hours; of their croffes on the outfide, and infide of their chapel; of an altar there richly decked with plate, tapestry, and tapers; of their genuflections at their entering in, which I objected might favour of popery. Here the younger fon (the mouth of them all) anfwered, firft, that he did verily believe the Pope to be antichrift; wherewith I was fatisfied touching that point. For the Nunnery, he said, the truth (from whence that untrue report might arife) was, two of his nieces had lived together thirty-two years virgins, and fo refolved to continue, the better to give themselves to fafting and prayer; but had made no vows. For their canonical hours, he said, they usually prayed fix times a day, twice publicly in the chapel, after the order of the book of the Common-prayer, in their houfe they used particular prayers for a private family. I faid, if they spent so much time in praying, they would have little for preaching, or for their worldly callings. He answered, 1. That a neighbour Minister of another parish, came on a Sunday morning, and preached in their chapel, and fometimes they went to his parish. 2. That their calling was to ferve God, which he took to be the best. I replied, "That for men in health, and of active and able. bodies and minds, it were a tempting of God, to quit our callings, and wholly betake ourselves to fafting, prayer, and a contemplative life." He rejoined, that, "If others knew, what comfort God had miniftered unto them, fince their retirement, and with incredible improvement to their eftate, it might encourage others to the like courfe." For their nightwatching, and their rifing at four o'clock in the morning, which (I faid) was much for one of eighty years, and for children.. children. To the one he faid, "It was not much, feeing they went to bed at feven in the evening." For the other, he confeft there were every night two (alternately) continued their devotions, that went not to bed until the rest arofe. For the croffes, he faid, they were not ashamed of that badge of chriftian profeffion, which the propagators of their faith bare in their banners, and which we in our church difcipline retain to this day. For the chapel," that it was now near chapel time, (for eleven is the hour in the forenoon) and that I might, if I pleafed, accompany them thither, and fo fatisfy myself beft of what I had heard concerning that." Which offer I willingly entertained. Meantime looking up, I faw on the chimney-piece a manuscript tablature, which after I had read, I craved a copy of, which he forthwith commanded to be given to me. I offered the writer money for his pains, which was refufed, and they conjured me not to offer any thing to any of that houfe, at my parting, or otherwise. The words are as follows: I.H.S. He that, by reproof of our errors, or remonftrances of that which is perfect, Jeeks to make us better, is welcome as an Angel of God. And, : He that, by a chearful participation of that which is good, confirms us in the fame, is welcome as a chriftian Friend. But, He that any way goeth about to divert or disturb us in that which is, and ought to be, amongst chriftians, is a burthen whilft he flays, and fhall bear his judgment whatsoever he be. And he that faults us in abfence for that which in prefence he made a fhew to approve of, fhall, by a double guilt of flattery and flander violate the bands of friendship and chriflianity. Mary Farrer, widow, and mother of this family, aged about eighty years, that bids adieu to all fears, and hopes of this world, defires to ferve God. This declaration, being in fuch general terms, I faid, I thought it without exception. Entering |