Magiftrates gave attendance. The proof against the Rioters was full: yet the honourable Jury acquitted them all!

38. This gave them fresh fpirits: fo they hafted home with ribbons flying, and were faluted with bells and bonfires, in one of which they burnt me and my friend in effigy. Our friends now found it more dangerous than ever to come into the town, or get to their houses. Before I left Stafford, I waited on Lord D with Mr. Hayes, Attorney, the perfon who prepared the mob, and himself made the first breach in the house. I told him plain, either let Mr. Hayes rebuild the house, or we will try him for his life. He promised it fhould be rebuilt in fuch a time: and it was built accordingly. So did God deliver us out of this complicated trouble. And all the time his work profpered.

39. But what could not be done by perfecution, has been done by thofe who brought in a new Doctrine among us. This foon checked, and has now well nigh deftroyed, both the root and branch of vital Religion. They who receive this new light, not only despise and speak evil of those that begat them to God, but even deny the reality of that unspeakable blessing, which they then received. They fay, "We were then blind, and knew nothing.” Happy ignorance! Which enabled them to endure reproach, pain, want: yea, to carry their lives in their hands, counting nothing dear, but to have a confcience void of offence, towards God and towards man.

40. In Auguft 1770, I was ftationed in Bristol Circuit. Here I met with various exercifes. But I was more than conqueror, and good was done in Bristol, and in feveral other places. Particularly at Bath, where they were obliged first to enlarge, and then to gallery the Preaching-house. In the Spring I was called to Monmouth, to open a Preaching-house, which was duly licensed. We preached with tolerable quietnefs 'till Sunday evening. The Churchwardens then came before me, went in, and shut the doors. Meantime the street was all in an uproar: I went on with Mrs. Hern and Miss

Fortune

Fortune, (my only companions) 'till we met the mob, who opened to the right and left, and let us pass to the door. It was shut, but in a while I prevailed to have it opened. And one of them asked, What authority I had to preach? I asked, Who he was? He faid, The Churchwarden. "Then you have no authority to queftion me. I fhall not fhew mine, but to a proper person. And I defire you will either behave well, or withdraw." Another faid, "Sir, will you fhew it me? I am the Chief Conftable." I anfwered, "Sir, I will." While he was reading, the Churchwarden looked over him, and faid, "O Sir, this will not do." I faid, Sir, it will do for me: and I require all of you who stay, to behave in a becoming manner? The Chief Conftable then withdrew: but the crowd was fo great, that they could not half get in. And thofe without were fo noify, that nothing could be heard. So after a time I judged it beft to withdraw.

41. In the evening the Mayor fent defiring me to attend him in the morning at the Town-hall. I went. Soon after came the Mayor, the Clerk of the Peace, and all the chief men of the town. The Rector and Curate ufed fome harsh words. The other Gentlemen behaved civilly. But they afked fo many questions, and spoke so many at a time, it was impoffible to answer. I faid, "Gentlemen, be pleased to speak one at a time.” But this could not be done. Only they all agreed in defiring me to promise, that I would come I told them, "I would make nó fuch promife; no, not if my life depended upon it." So we parted as we met, and the next day I got fafe to Bristol.

no more.

[To be concluded in our next.]

LETTER

LETTER S.

LETTER

CIV.

[From the Rev. Mr. Wesley, to Miss

PROBABLY, Mifs

February 21, 1759.

this may be the last will receive from me. and the rather, when

Trouble of the kind, which you Therefore you may forgive me this: you confider my Motives to it. Motives to it. You know, I can have no temporal View: I can have none but a faint, diftant hope (because with God all Things are poffible) of doing fome Service to one whom I love. And this may anfwer the Question which you might naturally afk, "What would you have? What do you want with me?" I want you, not to be a Convert to my Opinions; but to be a Member of Christ, a Child of God, and an Heir of his Kingdom! Be any thing, as to outward Profeffion, so you are lowly in Heart: 'fo you refift and conquer every motion of Pride, and have that Mind in you, which was alfo in Chrift Jefuś. Be what you pleafe befides; only be meek and gentle, and in Patience poffefs your Soul: fo that one may truly fay to you

Calm thou ever art within,

All unruffled, all ferene!

Hear what Preacher you will: but hear the Voice of God, and beware of Prejudice and every unkind Temper! Beware of foolish and hurtful Defires, or they will pierce you through VOL. III.

W

with

with many forrows. In one word, be any thing, but a Trifler: a Trifler with God and your Own Soul. It was not for this, that God gave you

"A mind fuperior to the vulgar herd!"

No, Mifs

no! But that you might employ all your Talents to the glory of Him that gave them. O do not grieve the holy Spirit of God! Is He not ftill ftriving with you? Striving to make you, not almoft, but altogether a Chriftian? Indeed you must be all or nothing: a Saint, or a Devil! Eminent in Sin, or Holinefs. The good Lord deliver you from every Snare, and guide your Feet in the Way of Peace! How great a Pleasure would this give to all your real Friends, and in particular to,

Your affectionate Servant,

For Chrift's fake,

JOHN WESLEY.

Y

LETTER CV.

[From the Rev. Mr. Welley, to the fame.]

My Wife, Mifs

Colchefler, March 20, 1759

furprised me laft Night, by

informing me, you are left Miftrefs of a large Fortune. Shall I fay, agreeably furprised me? I cannot tell: becaufe I believe there is another World. And I do not know, what Influence this change may have on your condition: therefore I am in fear, and in hope. You may be hereby far more happy, or far more miferable in Eternity! Oh make a stand! Confider the fituation you are in: perhaps never before were you

in fo great danger. You know a little of your natural Tem pers: now you have means of indulging, and thereby inflam ing them to the uttermoft. And how many will incite you fo to do? How few will dare to warn you against it? Now what food will you have for Pride? What infinite Tempta tions, to think more highly than you ought to think? You do fo already. But Oh, where will you ftop! The good Lord. arreft the ftorm in mid career! How impetuously now, (unless God interpofe) muft Self-will whirl you along? How deeply (unless He help) will you fhortly be immerfed in practical Atheism? As ten thousand things will concur to drive God out of your thoughts, as much as if he were not in the world. But above all, how will you escape from being fwallowed up in Idolatry? Love of the World, fuch as you never knew before!

Hitherto you have been greatly fuperior to every delicacy in food: but even this may affault you now: and perhaps raise in you other defires, which you are now a stranger to. At prefent, you are above the Follies of drefs: but will you be so a twelvemonth hence? May you not easily slide into the pride of life, in this as well as other inftances? Efpecially confidering how your vanity will be gratified thereby. For who will not admire and applaud your admirable Tafte? It will only remain for you to marry fome agreeable Person, that has much Wit and Senfe, with little or no Religion; then it is finished! Either you will be throughly miserable in this World, or miserable to Eternity.

"But what bufinefs is this of yours? Cannot you let me alone? What have I to do with you?" Believe me, I could very eafily let you alone, if I had not a real and tender good, will toward you: and if I did not know (what perhaps you do not) that you have need even of me. You want Friends who understand you well, and who dare tell you the whole plain truth and yet not in a furly, imperious manner; for then you could not receive it. I have endeavoured to do this once