σε persons were with me, desiring that as I had now got "him, I would reprove him openly. Some wanted me "to preach against Lay-preaching; some against Pre"destination, &c. In my discourse, a gentleman, who "had come thither on purpose, interrupted me by desiring I would now speak to Mr. Harris, since I was sent for to disprove his errors. I quashed all "further importunity by declaring, I am unwilling to 66 speak of my brother Harris, because when I begin, "I know not where to leave off, and should say so "much good of him as some of you could not ""bear."

Before Mr. Wesley left Wales, a violent opposition was raised against him, which threatened danger. Dur ing the sermon on Sunday, while Mr. Wesley was describing the state of the Pharisee, a Physician of the place found himself hurt, and got up and walked out of the church. On the Tuesday following, being unusually heated with wine, and urged on by a company of players, determined on mischief, he came to the house where the people were assembled, to demand satisfaction for the injury he supposed that he had received. He struck Mr. Wesley and several of the women with his cane, and raged like a madman, till the men forced him out of the room, and shut the door. Soon after, it was broke open by a Justice of the Peace, and the Bailiff, or head Magistrate. "The

66

latter began expostulating with me, (says Mr.

Wesley) upon the affront offered the Doctor. He "said, as it was a public injury, I ought to make "him a public satisfaction, I answered, Mr. Bailiff, "I honour you for your office sake; but were

you, or his Majesty King George among my hearers, "I should tell you both, that you are by nature sin66 ners, or, children of wrath, even as others. In the "church while preaching, have no superior but God,

" and

"and shall not ask man leave to tell him of his sins. "As a Ruler it is your duty to be a terror to evil doers, "but a praise to them that do well. Upon thus speaking to him, he became exceedingly civil, assured ❝me of his good will, and that he had come to prevent (6 me from being insulted, and no one should touch a "hair of my head."

"While we were talking, the Doctor made another "attempt to break in and get at me, but the two "Justices and others, with much trouble got him away; " and we continued our triumph in the name of the "Lord our God. The shout of a King was among us. "We sang unconcerned, though the players, had beset "the house, were armed, and threatened to burn it, “The ground of their quarrel with me was, that the preaching of the Gospel had starved them, We "prayed and sang with great tranquility till one in the “morning: then I lay down till three. I rose again, ❝ and was scarcely got into the room when they dis"covered a player just by me, who had stolen in "unobserved, They seized him, and F. Farley wrested "the sword from him. There was no need of drawing "it, for the point and blade were stript of the scab"bard, about an hand's breadth. Great was our " rejoicing within, and the uproar of the players "without. My female advisers were by no means for my venturing out, but wished me to defer my journey, I preferred Mr. Wills's advice, of going with ❝ him through the midst of our enemies. We called "on the poor creature they had secured. On sight of

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me he cried out, " Indeed Mr. Wesley, I did not in"tend to do you any harm." That, I answered, was "best known to God and his own heart; but told him "that my principle was to return good for evil, and therefore desired he might be released. I assured

❝ him

"him of my good wishes, and with Mr. Wells walked "down to the water side, no man forbidding me."The next day, November the 20th, he arrived safe in Bristol.

He goes on. "November 30th, I gave the sacra ment to our sister Taylor, dying in triumph. Here is another witness to the truth of the gospel we preach. Commend me to a religion, upon which I "can trust my soul, while entering into eternity."

December 2d, “I preached on the three-fold office of Christ, at Kingswood, but never with greater power. It constrained even the separatists (the Cal"vinists) to own that God was with us of a truth. I "rode back in a glorious storm of thunder, lightening,

and rain; my spirit rejoicing in hope of the glory "of God. He opened my mouth again in the Society, " and I spoke in much grief, of our desolate Mother, "the Church of England, My heart yearns towards her, when I think upon her ruins; and it pitieth me "to see her in the dust."

December 5th, "I was much refreshed in spirit among some of my friends the Quakers, by a writer of theirs, who strongly insists on the perfect "death unto sin, and life unto righteousness, which every christian experiences. Death must precede life, and condemnation, justification. This he as "clearly teaches as any of our first Reformers.' December 24th, He set out, with Thomas. Maxfield, for London, where they arrived the next day, On the 27th, he says, "Six or seven hundred of us met "from eleven o'clock till one, to praise God with the "voice of joy and thanksgiving. He hath done great "things for us already; but we shall see greater things than these. I dined at the house of a Dissenter, who was armed cap-a-pee with her faith of 66 adherence,

“adherence, brimful of the Five Points, and going on to the perfection described in Romans the "seventh." On the 28th, I earnestly warned the "Bands not to fancy they had new hearts before they "had seen the deceitfulness of the old; not to think they would ever be above the necessity of prayer ; not to yield for one moment to the spirit of judging. "Mr. Aspernel, told me strange things, and I fear true, of some new creatures of their own making, "who have been caught in gross lies."

April 4th, 1741. Mr. Wesley set out for Bristol, and arrived there in safety the next day. April 7th, He says, "I prayed by one supposed to be at the point of "death. He rejoiced to meet the king of terrors; "and appeared so sweetly resigned, so ready for the "Bridegroom, that I longed to change places with "him. April 11th, Found a dying sinner rejoicing "in God her Saviour. At sight of me, she cried out, "O how loving is God to me! But he is loving to (( every man; he loves every soul as well as he loves "mine. Many like words she uttered in triumphant "faith, and witnessed in death the universal love of "Jesus Christ.-April 12th, To-day he called forth "another of his dying witnesses. The young woman whom at my last visit, I left in utter despair, this "morning broke out into the following expressions; 66 I see, I see it now, that Jesus Christ died for me; and for all the world." Some of her words to me were, Death stares me in the face, but I fear him "not, he cannot hurt me; and again, death may "shake his dart in vain; God is love, pure love, love man!-The next I saw, was our brother S.

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to every

"With joyful eyes, and looks divine,

Smiling and pleased in death."

April 13th, "I gave the sacrament to the Bands of Kingswood, not of Bristol; in obedience, as I told "them, to the Church of England, which requires a "weekly sacrament at every Cathedral. But as they "had it not there, and as on this particular Sunday, they were refused it, at Temple-church, (I myself, "with many of them, having been repelled) I therefore "administered it to them in our school; and had we "wanted a house, would justify doing it in the midst "of the wood. I strongly urged the duty of receiving "it, as often as they could be admitted to the churches. "Such a sacrament, I never was present at before "We received the sure pledges of our Saviour's dying "love; and were most of us, filled with all joy and peace in believing."-This it seems, was the beginning of the practice of administering the sacrament at Kingswood.

April 20th, "Returning from Baptist-mills, I heard "that our sister" Richardson had finished her course. "My soul was filled with strong consolation, and "struggled, as it were, to go out after her, "as "heaven-ward endeavouring." Jesu, my time is in "thy hand only let me follow her, as she has followed "Thee! The voice of joy and thanksgiving was in the "congregation, while I spake of her death."-April 22d, "I hastened to the joyful funeral. The new 66 room was crouded within and without. I spake largely of her whose faith they might safely follow. "Great was my glorying and rejoicing over her. "She being dead, yet spake in words of faith and "love, which ought to be had in remembrance. We

were in a measure, partakers of her joy, a joy un"speakable and full of glory. The whole Society "followed her to the grave, through all the city. Satan "raged exceedingly in his children, who threw dirt

"and