Journal of a Voyage from Gibraltar to Georgia, Journal 3 · Part 7 – Part 10
BASINGSTOKE.
Left Windſor about Ten in the Morning, dined at Bagſhot, and reached Baſingſtoke at Five in the Evening. — Not meeting with our Friends, who were to come from Dummer, I wrote to ſome Chriſtian Brethren I had left behind me, and afterwards was agreeably ſurpriſed by ſeveral who came uninvited to ſee me. — After a little Converſation, I perceived they were deſirous to hear the Word of GOD, and being in a large Dining-room in the Publick Houſe, I gave Notice I would expound to as many as would come. In a ſhort Time I had above a Hundred very attentive Hearers, to whom I expounded for above an Hour, for which they were very thankful. Bleſſed be GOD for this Opportunity. I hope I ſhall learn more and more every Day, that no Place is amiſs for preaching the Goſpel.—GOD forbid that the Word of GOD ſhould be bound, becauſe ſome out of a miſguided Zeal deny the Uſe of their Churches. For though they bid me no more ſpeak to the People in this Way, yet I cannot but ſpeak the Things that I have ſeen and felt in my own Soul. The more I am bid to hold my Peace, the more earneſtly will I lift up my Voice like a Trumpet, and tell the People what muſt be done in them before they can be finally ſaved by JESUS CHRIST.
Friday, Febr. 9. After Breakfaſt and Prayer with the Family where we lodged, I ſet out for Dummer (a Pariſh once for a little while under my Care) and met with near a Dozen Chriſtian Brethren, with whom we took exceeding ſweet Counſel, prayed, and ſung Pſalms, and eat our Bread with Gladneſs and Singleneſs of Heart. I wiſh all knew how chearful we, that are Beginning to be Chriſtians, live! And if the Beginning be ſo ſweet, What muſt the End of Believing be? Oh the Goodneſs of GOD in thus bringing me back to the Places where I have been already! LORD melt down my frozen Heart with a Senſe of thy unmerited Love. Amen, Amen.
After having wrote ſeveral Letters, I returned with my Friends to Baſingſtoke, where I had appointed to expound. Accordingly, in the Evening I went to a large Room prepared for that Purpoſe, and expounded for an Hour. — The Place was very much thronged, many were very noiſy, and others did us the Honour of throwing up Stones at the Windows. But I ſpoke ſo much the louder; being convinced ſome Good muſt come out from a Place where Oppoſition is. I ſhould doubt whether I was a true Miniſter of CHRIST, was I not oppoſed. And I find it does me much Good. For it drives me nearer to my LORD and Maſter, JESUS CHRIST, with whom I long to dwell.
After Expoſition, near Twenty Friends came to viſit me, and Two young Men in particular, (once Leaders of the religious Society, but ſince fallen back.) They came, I believe, with a Deſign to puzzle me about the Doctrine of Regeneration; But alas, they ſoon ſhewed what Strangers they were to it. — For one was ſo full of Zeal, that he could not keep his Seat; and both were entirely ignorant of the Indwelling of the Spirit. One Thing they took Care to ſhew as much as poſſible, viz. That they had read the Fathers, (I ſuppoſe the Engliſh Tranſlations) but at the ſame Time denied Experience in Religion. Poor Men! I pitied and told them, how they reſted in Learning, falſly ſo called, while they were Strangers to the Power of Godlineſs in their Hearts. At laſt, finding no Probability of convincing them, and being called away to Supper, I and my Friends took our Leave in Love, with true Concern to ſee what an unhappy Spirit our Oppoſers are of. Afterwards we prayed for them, and endeavoured to bleſs GOD for making us to Triumph, through his dear SON, in every Place.
Saturday, Febr. 10. Breakfaſted with ſome Friends; and after Family Prayer, went with my dear Brethren, Mr. Kinchin and Mr. Hutchi… to Dummer, where I ſpent moſt of the Day in viſiting that poor Flock from Houſe to Houſe, who rejoyced exceedingly at the Sight of me, and had not forgotten their former Love.— Their Simplicity delighted me and my Friend Seward much, and GOD enlarged my Heart greatly to praiſe him, and to pray for my dear abſent Brethren. — Indeed I love them in the Bowels of JESUS CHRIST.
About Four in the Afternoon we returned to Baſingſtoke, in order to expound. And near Three large Rooms were filled. — We expected ill Treatment ere we returned home, and ſome did begin to interrupt me: But GOD enabled me to ſpeak with ſuch irreſiſtible Power, that they were quite ſtruck dumb and confounded. — Many ſaid, We will never oppoſe again. Others ſaid they would follow me whitherſoever I ſhould go; and the Hearts of GOD's Children, as well as my own, were filled with Joy unſpeakable. — This Night, I hope, Salvation is come to this Place.
After Expoſition, many Chriſtian Friends came to ſee me in a moſt affectionate Manner, and about Nine at Night we ſet out for Dummer. But no one can tell what Enlargement of Heart GOD gave me. — My Soul was full of ineffable Comfort and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt. — I poured out my Heart before the Throne of Grace as I rode by the Way, and felt the Spirit of GOD working in me mightily, and enabling me to intercede moſt earneſtly for my dear Friends. LORD hear my Prayers, and let my Cry come unto thee. — In a ſhort Time we reached Dummer, and after having taken a little Refreſhment, I went to Bed full of Love, and rejoycing for the great Things GOD had done for my Soul.
Sunday, Febr. 11. Roſe full of Love and Joy, but afterwards on a ſudden was deſerted, and then taken very ill in Body. — I ſtruggled just like one in his laſt Agonies, and longed to ſtretch myſelf into GOD. — After having vomited ſeveral Times, I was obliged to go to Bed; and it would have melted any one down to ſee my dear Friends (eſpecially my deareſt Mr. H—s) weeping and praying around me. — Oh how did I long to be diſſolved, and be with JESUS CHRIST! How did I wiſh for the Wings of an Eagle, that I might fly away to Heaven! But that happy Hour is not yet come. There are many Promiſes to be fulfilled in me, many Souls to be called, many Sufferings to be endured, before I go hence. — Father, thy Will be done.
After having fallen aſleep for a ſhort Time, I aroſe and went to publick Worſhip, and preached and adminiſtred the Sacrament, but without any Life or Power.
My Sickneſs ſtill continuing after Service, I went to Bed again full of Peace, but weak in Body, oppreſſed much in my Head, and quite ſhut up till near Five at Night: At which Time, by the Advic… of my Brother Seward, I took Courage; and though it rained hard, rode with my dear Friends to Baſingſtoke, where above five Hundred were waiting to hear me expound; but my Indiſpoſition continuing, Brother Kinchin expounded in my Stead. — After this my Spirits revived, my Body was ſ…rengthened, and GOD gave me Utterance, ſo that I ſpoke freely to near Twenty People, that came to converſe with me, and to hear the Word of GOD. — How thankful ought I to be to my dear Maſter for ſending me hither! — A moſt beneficial and comfortable Meeting have I had with my dear Chriſtian Friends; and many, I hope, will have Reaſon to bleſs GOD for what they have ſeen and heard. — A Veſtry, I find, was called to ſtop my Proceedings, and I hear I am to be preſented to the Dioceſan. — Several Lies have been told in the News about my Preaching at St. Margaret's laſt Sunday. — Bleſſed be GOD that I can rejoyce in theſe lower Marks of my Diſcipleſhip. — Wherever I go, GOD cauſeth me to triumph, knits the Hearts of his People moſt cloſely to me, and makes me more than Conqueror through his Love. — The Comforts I enjoy within are inexpreſſible; they have a great Effect upon my outward Man, and make me of a chearful Countenance; which recommends my Maſter's Service much. — Oh Free Grace in CHRIST JESUS.
SALISBURY.
Monday, Febr. 12. Perceived myſelf perfectly recovered, and was much refreſhed by the coming of many dear Friends, with whom after I had breakfaſted and prayed, I took a moſt affectionate Leave; called at Dummer, ſung a Hymn, prayed, and gave a Word of Exhortation to certain Diſciples that were there, and reached Saliſbury with my Companion in Travel Mr. Seward about Six in the Evening. — Here I wrote ſeveral Letters to my London and Baſingſtoke Friends, and ſent for Mr. Chubb, in order to have a Conference with him concerning his late Book, but he happened not to be at home. — Oh that that unhappy Man was turned from his erroneous Principles! For I fear, like Simon Magus he has bewitched many about Saliſbury with his falſe Doctrines. — LORD, ſuffer not thy People to believe a Lye, though they have held the Truth in Unrighteouſneſs. Raiſe up, I beſeech thee, ſome true Paſtors amongſt them, who may accquaint them with the Nature and Neceſſity of the New Birth, and point out to them the bleſſed Spirit, whereby they may have that Repentance wrought in their Souls, which the ſelf-righteous Mr. Chubb falſely aſſerts may be wrought in them by a moral Perſuaſion.
STAPLEASHWIN, WILTS.
Tueſday, February 13. Thought when I roſe to abide at Saliſbury a few Days, but finding it quite inconſiſtent with my other Buſineſs, I left that Place (after public Worſhip, and paying a Viſit to an old Diſciple, my Brother Weſley's Mother) and reached Stapleaſhwin about Six at Night. — After having refreſhed ourſelves, we intended to ſet forward towards Bath; but finding the People, at whoſe Houſe we put up, were worthy, we alter'd our Reſolution. And our Hoſteſs having called in many of her Neighbours, I prayed, converſed and ſung Pſalms with them for a conſiderable Time, wrote ſome Letters, and went to Bed, not doubting but the Lord would cauſe me to dwell in Safety. — Who knows but ſome good may have been d…ne here this Night? But what have I … with that? I am only to follow …y Lord, who, whereſoever he came, talked of the one Thing needful.
BATH and BRISTOL.
Wedneſday, February 14. After Family-Prayer, and giving a Word of Exhortation, I ſet out for Bath, and was greatly comforted there with ſome Chriſtian Brethren. — I then waited on Dr. C—y, deſiring I might have the Uſe of the Abbey Church to preach for the Orphan-houſe, the Truſtees having obtained …eave of the Biſhop before I went to Georgia. But he was pleaſed to give me an abſolute Refuſal to preach either on that, or any other Occaſion, without a poſitive Order from the King or Biſhop. I aſked him his Reaſons. He ſaid, he was not obliged to give me any. Upon which, I took my leave, and retired with my Friends, and prayed for him moſt fervently. — The Time will come, ſays our LORD, when they ſhall thruſt you out of their Synagogues.
After Dinner, other Circumſtances concurring, we thought GOD called us to Briſtol. And with Chearfulneſs of Heart, we reached that Place about Seven in the Evening. — But who can expreſs the Joy with which I was received? To add to my Comfort, many Letters came to my Hands from London Friends, which rejoyced me exceedingly. And what was the chiefeſt Pleaſure, ſomebody or other thought me conſiderable enough to write a Letter in the Weekly Miſcellany againſt me, and with ſeveral Untruths, about my preaching at St. Margaret's Weſtminſter. — Thou ſhalt anſwer for me, my LORD and my GOD. Yet a little while and we ſhall appear at the Judgment-ſeat of CHRIST. Then ſhall my Innocence be made clear as the Light, and my juſt Dealings as the Noon day.