On Friday the 3rd I set out for Norwich, in the coach oddly called the Expedition. Going through Dereham about noon, I was desired to preach, which I willingly did on Isa. xxxvii. 3; and in the evening to a huge congregation at Norwich on the parable of the Sower.

 

Sunday the 5th was a comfortable day, especially at seven in the morning, when I administered the Lord’s Supper; and at two in the afternoon and six in the evening, when I preached to very serious congregations.   .

 

Mon. 6. -I preached at Loddon, North Cove, and Lowestoft. When I came into the town it blew a storm, and many cried out, ‘So it always does when he comes.’ But it fell as suddenly as it rose; for God heard the prayer.

 

                            OCT. 1, Wednesday

 

4.30 Newm[arket], within; 7 Barton Mills, chaise, read; 12.30 Lynn; 1 at brother Keed’s,[1] Journal; 2 dinner, conversed, Journal, prayed, tea, prayed; 6.30 Gen. i. 27! society; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 2

 

4 Prayed, Gen. xix. I, Journal; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Journal; 12 walk; 1 dinner; 2 Journal, prayed; 5 tea, Gen. xxii. I, communion; 8.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 3

 

4 Prayed, Heb. iv. 9, tea, conversed, prayer; 7 coach, together, Charles’s Poems; 10 Swaffha[m], tea, conversed, prayer, coach; 12 30 Dere­ham, Jo. xvii. I, coach; 4.30 Norwich; 5 writ narrative, prayed, tea, conversed; 6.15 Mark iv. 3! supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 4

 

4 Prayed, Gen. xix 20! Journal; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Journal; 12 walk; 1 dinner; 2 Journal; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 Matt. xx. 16! Journal; 7.30 supper, conversed, on business; 9.15.

 

Sunday 5

 

4 Prayed, Journal; 7 communion; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 Journal; 10.30 St. Aug[ustine], prayers, communion; 12 Journal; 12.30 dinner; 1 conversed, prayer; 1.30 sleep, Journal; 2 Eph. v. 16, Journal; 430 tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 5.30 Matt. xxii. 4! the leaders; 7.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 6

 

4 Prayed, Rom. xii. II! Journal; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, visited; 10.30 chaise; 12 Loddon, No. [Numbers] xxiii. 10, dinner; 2 chaise; 3.30 chaise, Cove, I Cor. i. 30, chaise; 4 Lostoff, tea, conversed, prayed; 6 Deut. xii. 10, supper, conversed, prayer; 10.

 

Tuesday 7

 

4.30 Prayed; 6 Deut. xxx. 6, Journal; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Journal; 11 christened, Journal, 12.30 walk; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.30 Journal; 4 prayed, tea; 6.30 2 Cor. v. 19! society; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wed. 8. -I preached at Caistor[2] about noon, and at Yarmouth in the evening.

 

Thur. 9. -I returned to Norwich, and, after preaching in the afternoon, took coach for London.

 

Fri. 10. -I appointed a committee for auditing my accounts and superintending the business of the Book-Room,[3] which, I doubt not, will be managed in a very different manner from what it has been hitherto.[4]

 

Sun. 12. -I preached in the morning at the new chapel; in the afternoon at West Street.

 

Wednesday 8

 

4 Prayed, Journal; 6 Gen. xlix. 4, Journal; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Journal; 10 chaise; 12 Yarmou[th], Journal; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer, walk; 3 Caister, Ezek. xviii. 32; 4 walk, Yarm[outh]; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 2 Cor. v. 17, etc., supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 9

 

4 Prayed, Eph. iv. 30, etc., Sister King, etc.; 7 tea, conversed, prayer; 8 coach, together; 10 tea, together; 10.30 coach; 12 Norwich, on business; 1 dinner, together, prayer; 3 I Cor. v. 19, in talk, coach; 12.

 

Friday 10

 

6 Together; 7.30 at home, tea, prayer, letters; 12 the females, letters; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.45 letters; 5 prayer, tea, prayed; 6 the Committee; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

                                       Saturday 11

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 letters; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayer; 6 letters, on business; 7.45 supper, Pen[ry], on business; 9.30.

 

2 Cor. v. 7, Eph. ii. 8.

 

Sunday 12

 

4 Prayed, letters, on business; 8 the preachers; 9.30 prayers, Eph. vi. 10, etc., communion; 1 dinner; 2.30 Chapel, prayed, the leaders; 3.30 prayer, Gal. vi. 10, society, coach, society, prayed; 8 supper, con­versed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Mon. 13. -I went to Wallingford, and preached to a serious and, it seemed, much-affected audience.

 

Tues. 14. - I preached at Witney, which I generally find a very comfortable place. I think much of the impression which was made on the people here at the time of the great storm remains still.[5]

 

Wed. 15. -I preached at Oxford on Gen. i. 27. We wanted only a larger room. Many young gentlemen were there, and behaved well. I hope some of them did not come in vain.

 

Thur. I6. -We went on to High Wycombe.  Mr. Murlin’s settling here has been of great use.[6] Here is now a steady and understanding people, to whom I preached, as usual, evening and morning, with a good deal of satisfaction. .

 

Fri. 17. -We returned to London.

 

Monday 13

 

4 Prayed, conversed; 5 chaise, with T. R[ankin]; 7.30 tea, chaise; 10.15 Maidenh[ead]; 11 chaise; 2.30 Wallingf[ord], dinner, conversed; 3.30 Journal; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6 2 Cor. v. 19, Journal; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 14

 

4 Prayed, Journal; 6 Gen. xlix. 4, tea, conversed, prayer; 8 chaise; 10.15 Oxon, tea; 11 chaise, Witn[ey], Journal; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer, Journal; 4 the children; 5 tea; 6 Gen. xxii. i. 2, society; 8 supper, together, prayer; 9.15.

 

Wednesday 15

 

4 Prayed, Gen. xix. 20, Journal, tea, prayer; 8 chaise; 10.15 on business, walk, conversed; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 visited, walk, garden; 5 tea, conversed; 6 Gen. i. 27! society; 8 supper; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 16

 

4 Prayed, Heb. vi. 1! chaise; 8.30 Tetsworth, tea; 9.30 chaise; 12 [High] Wyc[ombe], at Mr. Bal[-], Journal; 1 dinner; 2 Journal; 4 prayed, tea, conversed, prayer, 6 Matt. xx. 16! society, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 17

 

4 Prayed, Gen. xvii. I, tea; 6.30 chaise, Uxbr[idge]; 10 chaise; 1 Lond[on] within, letter; 2.30 dinner, conversed, prayer, visited; 5 tea, conversed, prayer; 6 Book Committee, prayed; 8 supper; 8.302 Cor. v. 7! 9.30.

 

­Sun. 19. -We had, as usual, a comfortable time at Spital­fields.

 

Mon. 20.-I set out for Northamptonshire. In the evening I preached to the lovely congregation at Whittlebury,[7] standing fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made them free.

 

Wed. 22. -I made one more trial of poor Towcester, if haply God might yet breathe on the dry bones, by opening and strongly applying these words, ‘I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely.’ In the evening, and on Thursday morning, I preached at Northampton, in the new Presbyterian meeting-house, a large and elegant building, I think not without effect, and then returned to London.

 

Saturday 18

 

 4 Prayed; 8 tea, prayer, letters, within to many; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 letter; 5  

 

        tea, within; 6 on business; 7.45 supper, conversed, on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 19

 

 4 Prayed, read narrative, on business, prayed; 8 Spitalf[ields]; 9.30 prayers, Phil. i. 9  

 

         etc., communion; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.30 sleep, prayed; 3 the leaders, 

 

         supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 20

 

 3 On business, tea, prayer; 4.15 chaise with Jos. [Bradford] 7 [-]; 1 dinner; 1.45 walk; 

 

         4 Whittleb[ury], Journal, tea, prayed; 6 Deut. v. 7 ; 7 society, supper, conversed, 

 

         prayer; 9.15.

 

Tuesday 21

 

 4 Prayed, Journal; 7.30 tea, prayer, Journal; 12 visited some; 1 dinner, Journal; 4.30 

 

        tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 6 Deut. v. -, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 22

 

4 Prayed, Deut. xxx. 6! Journal, tea, prayer; 7.30 walk; 9 Towc[este]r, Hos. xiv. 4; 10 chaise; 11.30 Northa[mpton], Journal; 2 dinner, Journal, prayed, tea, conversed; 6.30 Jo. iv. 24; 8 at Mr. Boon[e], Supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 23

 

4 Prayed, I Pet. iv. 7; 6 coach; 8 tea; 8.30 coach; 2.30 Coln[ey], dinner; 3.30 coach; 6 at home, tea; 7 prayed, letters; 8 supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 24

 

4 Prayed, letters; 12 the females, letters; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 letters; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 6 Book Committee; 7 prayed, letters; 8 supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tues. 28. -I took the stage-coach for Rye, which promised to be there by six in the evening; but the coachman lingered so that in the afternoon I found they did not intend to be there till near eight; so at Hawkhurst I took a post-chaise, which, with much ado, reached it soon after six. Being informed the service was begun, I did not stay to eat or drink, but went directly to the preaching-house, which was sufficiently crowded; and, as soon as 1 could get through the people, I began with solemn prayer, and then explained and applied that glorious truth, ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.’ We had another happy opportunity at five in the morning.[8] Knowing there was no depending on the coach, I took chaise, and by that means came early to Sevenoaks, where, in the evening, I found uncommon liberty of spirit in exhorting the

 

audience to worship God in spirit and in truth.[9]

 

Saturday 25

 

 4 Prayed, letters; 8 at T. R[ankin’s], tea, prayer, letters; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2  letters; 4 christened    

 

         Mar[y] Dornford, within, tea; 6 Journal, supper, Pen[ry], on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 26

 

 4 Prayed, Journal; 8 Chappel; 9.30 prayer, Lu. xii. 20, communion, 1 dinner; 2.30 sleep, prayed; 3 the 

 

         leaders; 3.30 prayers, 2 Cor. v. 7, tea, society, coach, society; 7 prayed, Journal; 8 supper, conversed, 

 

         prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 27                              '­

 

4 Prayed, Eph. ii. 8, select society, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayed, letters; 12 visited; 1.45 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.30 letters, prayed, tea, conversed; 6.30 prayers, Eph. ii. 8, supper, the bands, coach, on business; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 28

 

4 Prayed, tea; 6 s[tage] coach, Farnborough, tea, conversed, coach; 12.30 Tunbridge; 1 dinner, coach; 4.30 Hawkhurst, chaise; 6 Rye, 2 Cor. v. 19; 7 society; 7.45 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.45.

 

Wednesday 29

 

4 Prayed, Heb. vi. I, tea; 7 chaise, Hawkhurst, tea, chaise; 1.30 Seven­ oaks; 2 on business; 2.30 dinner, Journal; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 Jo. iv. 24, society, Journal; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 30

 

4 Prayed, Journal; 6 Gen. xvii. I! Journal; 7.30 tea, prayer; 9 chaise, 10 Shore[ha]m, Journal; 11.30 [-], Journal; 12,30 dinner, con­versed, Journal; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 Matt. xx. 16! society! 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 31

 

4 Prayed, Hos. xiv. 4; tea, within; 6.45 prayer, coach, with S. Dickenson; 11.15 at home, on business, letters; 12 the females, letters; 2 at T. Rank[in’s], dinner, conversed, writ Journal; 5 tea, conversed, [-]; 6 prayed, writ Journal; 8 supper, prayer; 9 at home; 9.30.

 

Mark vii. I, Prov. xviii. 12.

---

 

[1] Wesley’s convert and host in Lynn. He settled there in 1781, and died in honour 1823 (W.M. Mag. 1824, pp 220-4).

 

[2] See Meth. in Yarmouth, p. 102.

 

[3] The importance of this may be gathered from the fact, revealed in Wesley’s last account-book, that the pro­fits on the Book-Room provided the amount necessary for Mrs. Charles Wesley’s marriage settlement, (see above, p. 418), and for at least half the large benefactions of John Wesley, which made it possible for preachers and preachers’ wives to exist, and so often provided timely help for distressed circuits.

 

[4] On Oct. 11 he wrote from London to James Bogie (Works, vol. xii. p. 521).

 

[5] See above, vol. vi. p. 433.

 

[6] John Murlin. See above, vol. iv. p. 351.

 

[7] See above, vol. vi. p. 214.

 

[8] Thomas Mitchell was the first Metho­dist who preached at Rye. The people, he says, received the word with joy. (Wesley’s Veterans, vol. i. p. 191, or E.M.P. vol. i. p. 254.)

 

[9]This sermon provoked replies from W. Kingsford. See Green’s Anti-Meth. Publications, Nos. 539. 540. Kingsford’s brochure was entitled, ‘A Vindication of 

 

the Baptists from the Criminality of a Charge exhibited against them by the Rev. Mr. Wesley.’ T. C. (probably either T. Coleman or T. Coke) replied. There was a further publication of letters and challenges, the note on which, in Tyerman’s Life of Wesley, is, ‘Much ado about nothing.’