my brother and me to the Society at Kingswood, was in a moment struck raving mad. But it seems God is at length intreated for him, and has restored him to a sound mind. Thursday 16, I received a remarkable letter, part of which is here subjoined: "REV. SIR, “Aug. 4, 1774. "I was surprised on Sunday, when you were pleased to tell me I carried things to extremes, in denying the lawful pleasures in eating. I denied only self-indulgence in eating; all which I advance is, that he who will be Christ's disciple must absolutely deny himself. It was once a great self-denial to me, not to go to a play, or to other diversions; but this is now no self-denial to me at all. So that if I were now called to deny myself in these things only, I might take up with what is past, and now live an agreeable, self-indulgent life. But God forbid. But God forbid. I plainly see every hour produces occasions of self-pleasing; and this. I apprehend is a sufficient call for, and rule of self-denial. For instance, in the morning it is a great self-denial to rise out of a warm bed. But if I do not, I am immediately condemned as a slothful servant; if I do, I find a great inward blessing. Under the preaching, it is self-pleasing to see who is here, who there. But if I do let my eye wander, I become cold and lifeless; if I deny myself, I often find even a present reward. In walking the streets, I can please myself, by looking this way and that, on this chariot, that house, and picture. But if I deny myself, for Christ's sake, his consolations abound with me. "But I may deny myself outwardly, and yet be self-indulgent, namely, by allowing myself in vain and trifling thoughts. Here is a continual fight and a hard struggle I must have before I conquer. But when I do overcome, I lose nothing by it, for my soul is delighted with secret refreshings. "At noon I may find many pleasant things. And of this it was that I said to Mr. Richards, If there are two dishes set before you, by the rule of self-denial, you ought to eat of that which you like the least.' And this rule I desire to observe myself, always to choose what is least pleasing and cheapest. Therefore I feed much upon milk; it is pleasant enough, and nothing I can find is so cheap. Whereas, if one sort of food be dearer than another, and yet I use it, because more agreeable to my appetite, this I apprehend is directly contrary to the discipleship of a self-denying master. And this kind of self-indulgence (not in food only) is practised by too many that know the truth. "I suppose, Sir, you now perceive I do not condemn all pleasure in eating; but I condemn all self-indulgence both in that and other things, particularly in talking. Many who think themselves believers, please themselves with talking more than is profitable; they talk even of the things of God, till they bring a deadness, nay, an unaccountable carelessness over their spirits. I do not say they laugh or talk idly. But still they are not deeply serious, nor is their conversation truly solid; whereas I should think the conscience of a true believer is as tender as the apple of an eye; and that to such a one it would be less pain to suffer the rack, than to trifle either in word or deed," Tuesday 21, I set out with a few friends for Oxford. On Wednesday my brother met us from Bristol. Friday 24, St. Bartholomew's day, I preached, I suppose, the last time at St. Mary's. Be it so. I am now clear of the blood of these men. I have fully delivered my own soul. The Beadle came to me afterwards, and told me, "the Vice-Chancellor had sent him for my notes." I sent them without delay, not without admiring the wise providence of God. Perhaps few men of note would have given a sermon of mine the reading, if I had put it into their hands. But by this mean it came to be read, probably more than once, by every man of eminence in the University. I left Oxford about noon, preached at Wycombe in the evening, and on Saturday 25, returned to London. 4 Saturday, September 1, I talked pretty largely with George Newans, the supposed Shropshire prophet. I am inclined to think he believes himself; but I cannot believe God has sent him. Wednesday 5, One sent me word, "He had now found the right way of worshipping God; and therefore he must leave off prayer and the rest of our will-worship, and join himself with the Quakers." However, in the evening, he ventured among us once more. And God smote him to the heart, so that he knew, and felt, and declared aloud, that he had no need of going elsewhere to find the power of God unto salvation. Thursday 6, I committed to the dust the remains of Elizabeth Marsh, a young woman who had received a sense of the pardoning love of God about four years before her death, and had never left her first love. She had scarce known health or ease from that hour. But she never murmured or repined at any thing. I saw her many times after she was confined to her bed, and found her always quiet and calm, always cheerful, praising God in the fires, though longing to depart and to be with Christ. I could not learn that her mind was ever clouded, even for a moment from the beginning of her illness. But a few days before she died, she told me, "I am concerned I spoke a hasty word to-day. One told me, you shall recover within ten days. And I said, 'I do not want to recover.' A little before her speech failed, she beckoned one to her, and said, "Go and tell Molly Brown, from me, she must come back to Mr. Wesley. I have not breath to speak to her myself; but do you tell her from me she must come back.' She had lost her voice when I prayed with her the last time, and commended her soul to God. But "Her eye dropp'd sense, distinct and clear, As any Muse's tongue could speak." It said, "to me to die is gain. I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and fear no evil." I could only speak a few words at her grave. But when I returned to the Foundery, God made his word as a flame of fire. I spoke from that passage in the Revelation, And one of the Elders said unto me, What are these who are arrayed in white robes; and whence come they? And I said, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and they washed their garments, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. A young man, servant to Mrs. C., of Newington, went home deeply affected. The next day he was taken ill, and every day grew worse; so that when I came to the house, on Monday, the 10th, (though I knew nothing of him, or of his illness before,) he was just gasping for breath. It was a melancholy sight. Both his words and his eyes "witnessed huge affliction and dismay." Death stared him in the face, and he knew not God. He could but just say, "For God's sake, pray for me." All this day as his ill- God loves me. . I did not John Nelson coming in, we asked life for our brother, in full confidence of the promise. ness, so his terrors increased. gave him life from the dead. not afraid to die, for I know use to love you or your people; but now I love you as my own soul; I love you all; I know you are the people of God, and I am just going to him." He continued praising God as long as he could speak; and when he could not, his eyes were fixed upwards. Between one and two on Wednesday morning he cried out, "I have lost my God! Where is he? I cannot see him." But he soon recovered himself, and said, "Now I have found him; and I shall lose Him no more." About seven I prayed with him, and praised God on his behalf; and not long after, he fell asleep. Friday 14, I performed the last office (according to his desire) over his body, which was interred in the presence of a vast multitude of people, at a small distance from that of Elizabeth Marsh. Sunday 16, I buried near the same place, one who had soon finished her course, going to God in the full assurance 8 of faith, when she was little more than four years old. In her last sickness (having been deeply serious in her behaviour for several months before) she spent all the intervals of her convulsions, in speaking of, or to God. And when she perceived her strength to be nearly exhausted, she desired all the family to come near, and prayed for them all, one by one; then for her Ministers, for the Church, and for all the world. A short time after, recovering from a fit, she lifted up her eyes, said, "Thy Kingdom come," and died. All this Summer, our brethren in the West had as hot service, as those in the North of England. The war against the Methodists, so called, being every where carried on, with far more vigour than that against the Spaniards. I had accounts of this from all parts: one of which was as follows: "REV. SIR, "THE Word of God has free course here, it runs, and is glorified. But the devil rages horribly. Even at St. Ives we cannot shut the doors of John Nance's house, to meet the society, but the mob immediately threatens to break them open. They now triumph over us more and more, saying, It is plain nothing can be done against them. And in other places it is worse. I was going to Crouan on Tuesday was se'nnight: on the road two of our brothers met me. When we came within a mile of the house, we saw a great mob at some distance; but they were going another way. We then left our horses at the house of a friend, and went forward on foot Within a quarter of a mile of the place where I was to preach, two persons met us, who used to be persecutors, but they now desired me, for God's sake, 'Not to go up: for if I did, they said, there would surely be murder if there was not already; for many were knocked down before they came away.' : "By their advice, and the intreaties of those that were with me, I turned back to the house where we left our horses. We had been there but a short time, when many of the people came, being very bloody, and having been beaten very bad. But the main cry of the mob was after |