converted by you; and I like them better than any souls I have conversed with since 1 came into Yorkshire." And he added, "I will call to see you when I come to Birstal.” So he did, and stayed with me all night, and encouraged me to speak on, and spare none. He added, "The Lord hath called you to labour in his vineyard; and if you do not labour, he will call you to judgment for it." I told him, that Mr. Ingham had forbidden me. But he said, "He will be back from London in three weeks, then I will speak to him, for I know that God is with you; and I will call on you whenever I come through this town." So he did at that season, and his conversation was profitable to me, for he then spoke as contrary to the Moravians who are in London, as black is to white. God blessed his word for many were awakened by him at his first coming into Yorkshire.

When Mr. Ingham returned from London, he came to brother Mitchell's, in our town, and sent for me. He saluted me as soon as I came in, and desired me to sit down by him, and said, " John, I believe God has called you to speak his word; for I have spoken with several since I came back from London, who I believe have received grace since I went; and I see God is working in a shorter manner than he did with us at the beginning, and I should be sorry to hinder any one from doing good." He said also to the Brethren and Sisters," Before you all, I give John leave to exhort in all my societies."

He then took me by the hand, saying, “John, God hath given you great honour, in that he hath made use of you to call sinners to the blood of our Saviour, and I desire you to exhort in all my societies as often as you can."

I did so, and many were struck to the heart, and were made to cry out, "Lord, save, or we perish!" So that nine or ten in a week were brought to experience the love of Jesus. Those that were of the Church of England, I exhorted to keep close to the Church and Sacrament; and the Dissenters, to keep to their own meetings, and to let their light shine before those of their own community.

But

But soon after, I learnt that Mr. Ingham advised the contrary, and several began to stay at home on the Sabbath; which made me very uneasy.

One night I had been disputing with several of them, about their neglecting the ordinances, and about their speaking against inward holiness, as we were going to hear Peter Bohler, at Charles Summerscale's. When he got

up, he took two verses of the tenth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel: "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in Heaven: but whosoever shall deny me before men, him also will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven." I thought if he had heard all that I had said, and had laboured to justify every word I had spoken, he could not have preached more to the purpose: for he said, to confess Jesus, was to live with him, and to honour him with body, soul, and substance; and to deny him, was to live to ourselves, by refusing to do what he commanded, because it was not agreeable to nature, and did not make for our temporal interest. He added, "If any one did so much as to keep the tip of his little finger to commit sin with, it would damn both his soul and body in hell."

My adversaries now hung down their heads; and complaint was made to Mr. Telchig, that Mr. Bohler preached Wesley's doctrine; and he was sent to London soon after. He came back in three weeks' time; but such a change for the worse, did I never see in mortal man! for he that professed to love me as his own soul, durst not come near the door of my house, nor converse with me at all; and his word was as chaff, in comparison of what it used to be.

Then I saw what was coming on me, and the people God had given me. This made me weep in secret places

before the Lord; and I desired to die, rather than live to see the children devoured by these boars out of the German wood. I saw many deluded by their soft words, and fair speeches; and I thought I would exhort no more; for I was begetting children, and they slew them among the smooth stones of the brook; and they had better never

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have known the way of salvation, than after knowing it be turned thereout. But Samuel Mitchel urged me to speak, and not to spare. Yet I found great backwardness ; and often said, when I went out of my door, Lord, thou knowest I had rather be hanged on that tree, than go to preach, but that I believe thou dost require it at my hand." And many a time I have said, "Except some one be converted this time, I will take it for granted, that I leave off speaking in thy name." But Oh the condescension of the Most High! for he so far bore with my weakness, that some were converted as sure as I asked the token. For all that, I acted the part of Jonah, and fled into the fields by a wood side, when a great congregation was gathered together, and begged me to preach to them. But the hand of the Lord was upon me, and I fell on my face flat on the ground; and thought that if ever a living man tasted the cup of the damned, I did. I then cried out, "Let me die! let me die! for why should I live to see the destruction of my people? or wherefore should I ever speak in thy name, and by thy word beget children to the slaughter?" I lay about an hour with my face on the grass: But Oh the anguish my soul was in! The sufferings of our Lord were brought to my mind, and his apostles', whose cup I had once desired at the Lord's hand. But now, when it was in a small degree put into my hand, 1 chose rather to die than to drink it.

I now began to be ashamed before the Lord, when I considered how wonderfully he had dealt with me; so that the tears began to flow, and my heart was broken within me. Then I said, "I am not my own, but thine; therefore thy will be done in me, on me, and by me." In that instant the cloud broke, and the Sun of Righteousness arose on my soul. So that I cried out, Lord, continue with me, as thou art now, and I am ready to go to hell to preach to devils, if thou requirest it." Then I came home, expecting the people to be gone, but they were waiting about the door of my house. I got up, and preached to them, and that night two men declared that God for Christ's sake had forgiven all their sins.

b

I thought

I thought, after I had done, if I had ten pounds, I would have given it for one hour's conversation with Mr. John Wesley: but I despaired of ever having an opportunity, except I went to London on purpose; and said, I am not worthy of an upright man to converse with. Therefore I am encompassed about with briars and thorns.

After some time, I was told, that there were twenty preachers come to the Smith-House, and that four or five of them were clergymen who had been with Mr. Wesley, but they were now convinced of his errors, and content to be poor sinners, and hoped I should see my error in a little time, and come to the Brethren; for all of them, they said, had been as blind as I was, and as much bigoted to Mr. Wesley's notions. I told them, that what they called Light, I believed to be gross darkness; for it did not agree with what the scriptures shewed to be the way to Heaven. One of their exhorters said to me, that there were several of the Moravian preachers that could write as good scriptures as the Bible; that the very power which the apostles had did rest on the Moravian Preachers. I told him, I did not believe a word of it: I believe them to be a fallen people; and I prayed God that they might repent, and do their first works. I said, "I am sorry for Mr. Ingham, for he never will do half so much good as he has done hurt, by bringing them into this country; for they do not labour to convert sinners, but to turn saints out of the way that leads to heaven." But he said, it was I that was wrong, for they were the most experienced men in the world. And it was believed by many, that Count Zinzendorf was so familiar with the Lamb, that many hundreds who were now in hell would be saved by his prayers.

A few days after they were to have a great meeting at Gomersal-Field-House; and one came and told me, that Mr. Ingham desired me to be there. Accordingly I went, but could not get into the house, where they were reading the letters, nor near the door, for the multitude; so I walked into the croft, where there were about two hundred people, who had gone from the door, because they could not hear: so I preached to them in the croft, while

E

they

they read the letters within. I think there were five or six preachers, and four exhorters, and near one hundred people, who were looked upon as the chief of their societies. Then Mr. Ingham stood up, and said, that the country people were surprised to see so many of the Brethren come together; they thought it prudent not to have so much preaching, till they were settled a while, for fear it should make them persecute the Brethren; " And I de sire that none of the young men will expound, till they are ordered by the Brethren. We shall meet again this day month, and then we will let you know what we are all to do." Then he spake to them one by one, and said, "I hope you will be obedient, and not expound any more, till you have orders." They all replied, "Yes, Sir." He then turned to me, saying, " John, I hope you will leave off, till you have orders from the church." I I said, "No, Sir, I will not leave off, I dare not, for I did not begin by the order of man, nor by my own will; therefore I shall not leave off by your order. For I tell you plainly, I should have left off without your bidding, but that I believed if I did I should be damned for disobedience." He replied, "You see these young men are obedient to the elders, and they have been blessed in their labours as well as you." I said, "I cannot tell how they have been blessed, but I think, if God had sent them on his own errand, they would not stop at your bidding.” Then one of the preachers said, "The spirit of the pro phets is subject to the prophets; therefore they are right, and you are wrong, for they are subject." I replied, "You are not obedient to the prophets of God, that were of old; for God saith by one of them, I have set watch men upon the walls of Jerusalem, that shall not cease day or night:' But you can hold your peace for a month toge ther, at man's bidding."

Then turning to Mr. Ingham, I said, "You know that many have been converted by my exhorting lately, and a great many are under convictions. What a sad thing then would it be, to leave them as they are!" He replied, "Our Saviour can convert souls without your preaching." I

replied,