JOURNAL, FROM NOVEMBER 25, 1746, TO JULY 20, 1750. Tues. Nov. 25, 1746. I LABOURED much to convince one who had known me for several years, that she had left her first love, and was in the utmost danger of losing the things which she had wrought; but she was proof against argument as well as persuasion, and very civilly renounced all fellowship with me, "Because (she said) I was disaffected to the government!" O what will not those either believe or assert, who are resolved to defend a desperate cause! Sun, 30. John Jones (late a zealous Calvinist) preached for the first time at the Foundery. I trust he will never rest, till He who "died for all" hath "cleansed him from all unrighteousness." Thur. Dec. 4. I mentioned to the Society my design of giving physic to the poor. About thirty came the next day, and in three weeks about three hundred; this we continued for several years, till the number of patients still increasing, the expense was greater than we could bear meantime, through the blessing of God, many who had been ill for months or years, were restored to perfect health. Mon. 15. Most of this week I spent at Lewisham, in writing "Lessons for Children;" consisting of the most practical Scriptures, with a very few short explanatory notes. Sat. 20. I had a visit from Mr. Bland, an accurate master of the Hebrew tongue; but how exceeding far from the judgment of Mr. Hutchinson! He avers, (and thinks he has demonstrated, in a tract on that head lately published,) that both the vowel and accent points are absolutely essential to the Hebrew language; and that they are far elder than Ezra, yea coeval with the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. Mon. 29. I resumed my vegetable diet, (which I had now discontinued for several years,) and found it of use both to my s and body; but after two years, a violent flux, which seized me in Ireland, obliged me to return to the use of animal food. Wed. 31. I heard an amazing instance of the providence of God. About six years ago, Mr. Jebner (as he related it himself) and all his family, being eight persons, were in bed, between ten and eleven at night. On a sudden he heard a great crack, and the house instantly fell, all at once, from the top to the bottom. They were all buried in the ruins: abundance of people gathered together, and in two or three hours dug them out. The beds in which they had lain, were smashed in pieces, as was all the furniture of the house; but neither man, woman, nor child, was killed or hurt, only he had a little scratch on his hand. Sat. Jan. 3, 1747. I called upon poor Mr. C., who once largely "tasted of the good word, and the powers of the world to come." I found him very loving, and very drunk, as he commonly is, day and night; but I could fix nothing upon him: "He may fall foully, but not finally!" Sun. 11. In the evening I rode to Brentford; the next day to Newbury, and Tuesday, the 13th, to the Devizes. The town was in an uproar from end to end, as if the French were just entering; and abundance of swelling words we heard, oaths, curses, and threatenings. The most active man in stirring up the people, we were informed, was Mr. J. the C.; he had been indefatigable in the work, going all the day from house to house. He had also been at the pains of setting up an advertisement, in the most public places of the town, "Of an obnubilative, pantomime entertainment, to be exhibited at Mr. Clark's," (where I was to preach.) The latter part of it contained a kind of double entendre, which a modest person cannot well repeat. I began preaching at seven, on, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Many of the mob came in, listened a little, and stood still. No one opened his mouth, but attention sat on the face of every hearer. Wed. 14. I rode on to Bristol, and spent a week in great peace. Thur. 22. About half an hour after twelve I took horse for Wick, where I had appointed to preach at three. I was riding by the wall, through St. Nicholas-Gate, (my horse having been brought to the house where I dined,) just as a cart turned short from St. Nicholas-Street, and came swiftly down the hili; there was just room to pass between the wheel of it and the wall, but that space was taken up by the carman. I called to him to go back, or I must ride over him; but the man, as if deaf, walked straight forward. This obliged me to hold back my horse; in the mean, time. |