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there, when about twelve years old. When he was seventeen he began to be seriously religious, and served God to the best of his knowledge. About eighteen he removed to the university, and was admitted at Pembroke College in Oxford. And about a year after, he became acquainted with the Methodists, (so called) whom from that time he loved as his own soul.

2. By them he was convinced, that we must be born again, or outward religion will profit us nothing. He joined with them in fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, in visiting the sick and the prisoners, and in gathering up the very fragments of time, that no moment might be lost. And he changed the course of his studies, reading chiefly such books as entered into the heart of religion, and led directly to an experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3. He was soon tried as with fire. Not only his reputation was lost, and some of his dearest friends forsook him: but he was exercised with inward trials, and those of the severest kind. Many nights he lay sleepless upon his bed: many days prostrate on the ground. But after he had groaned several months under the Spirit of bondage, God was pleased to remove the heavy load, by giving him the Spirit of adoption, ena➜ bling him, through a living faith, to lay hold on the Son of his love.

4. However, it was thought needful, for the recovery of his health, which was much impaired, that he should go into the country. He He accordingly went to Glocester, where God enabled him to awaken several young persons. These soon formed themselves into a little society, and were some of the first fruits of his labour. Shortly after he began to read twice or thrice a week to some poor people in the town, and every day to read to, and pray with the prisoners in the county goal.

5. Being now about twenty-one years of age, he was solicited to enter into holy orders. Of this he was greatly afraid, being deeply sensible of his own insufficiency. But the bishop himself sending for him, and telling him," Tho' I had purposed to ordain none un"der three and twenty, yet I will ordain you whenever No. XIII.

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"you come ;" and several other providential circum$tances concurring, he submitted, and was ordained on Trinity-Sunday, 1736. The next Sunday he preached to a crouded auditory, in the church wherein he was baptized. The week following he returned to Oxford, and took his Bachelor's degree. And he was now fully employed, the care of the prisoners and the poor lying chiefly on him.

6. But it was not long before he was invited to London, to serve the cure of a friend going into the country. He continued there two months, lodging in the Tower, reading prayers in the chapel twice a week, catechizing and preaching once, beside daily visiting the soldiers in the barracks and the infirmary. He also read prayers every evening at Wapping-chapel, and preached at Ludgate-prison every Tuesday While he was here, letters. came from his friends in Georgia, which made him long to go and help them. But not seeing his call clear, at the appointed time he returned to his little charge at Oxford; where several youths met daily at his room, to build up each other in their most holy faith.

7. But he was quickly called from hence again to supply the cure of Dummer in Hampshire. Here he read prayers twice a day, early in the morning, and in the evening, after the people came from work. He also daily catechised the children, and visited from house to house. He now divided the day into three parts, alloting eight hours, for sleep and meals, eight for study and retirement, and eight for reading prayers, catechizing, and visiting the people.-Is there a more excellent way for a servant of Christ and his church? If not, Who will go and do likewise?

8. Yet his mind still ran on going abroad. And being now fully convinced he was called of God thereto, he set all things in order, and in January 1737, went down to take leave of his friends in Glocester. It was in this journey that God began to bless his ministry is an uncommon manner. Wherever he preached, amazing multitudes of hearers flocked together, in Glocester, in Stonehouse, in Bath, in Bristol: so that the heat of the churches was scarce supportable. And the impressions made on the minds of many, were no less extraordinary.

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After his return to London, while he was detained by General Oglethorpe, from week to week, and from month to month, it pleased God to bless his word still more. And he was indefatigable in his labour: generally on Sunday he preached four times, to exceeding large auditories; beside reading prayers twice or thrice, and walking to and fro, often ten or twelve miles.

9. On December 28, he left London. It was on the 29th that he first preached without notes. December 30, he went on board; but it was above a month before they cleared the land. One happy effect of their very slow passage, he mentions in April following: "Blessed "be God, we now live very comfortably in the great "cabbin. We talk of little else but God and Christ: "and scarce a word is heard among us when together, "but what has reference to our fall in the first, and 65 our new birth in the second Adam." It seems likewise to have been a peculiar providence, that he should spend a little time at Gibraltar: where both citizens and soldiers, high and low, young and old, acknowledged the day of their visitation.

10. From Sunday, May 7, 1738, till the latter end of August following, he made full proof of his ministry in Georgia, particularly at Savannah; he read prayers and expounded twice a day and visited the sick daily. On Sunday he expounded at five in the morning; at ten read prayers and preached, and at three in the afternoon: and at seven in the evening expounded the church-catechism. How much easier is it for our brethren in the ministry, either in England, Scotland, or Ireland, to find fault with such a labourer in our Lord's vineyard, than to tread in his steps?

11. It was now that he observed the deplorable condition of many children here; and that God put into his heart the first thought of founding an Orphan-house : for which he determined to raise contributions in England, if God should give him a safe return thither. In December following he did return to London: and on Sun day, January the 14th, 1739, he was ordained priest at Christ-Church, Oxford. The next day he came to London again and on Sunday the 21st preached twice. But though the churches were large, and crouded exceed

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ingly, yet many hundreds stood in the church yard, and hundreds more retured home. This put him upon the first thought of preaching in the open air. But when he mentioned it to some of his friends, they judged it to be mere madness. So he did not carry it into execution, till after he had left London. It was on Wednesday, February 21, that finding all the church-doors to be shut in Bristol, (beside that no church was able to contain one half of the congregation) at three in the afternoon he went to Kingswood, and preached abroad to near two thousand people. On Friday he preached there to four or five thousand; and on Sunday to (it was' supposed) ten thousand. The number continually increased all the time he stayed at Bristol. And a flame of holy love was kindled, which will not easily be put out. The same was afterwards kindled in various parts of Wales, of Glocestershire, and Worcestershire. Indeed whereever he went, God abundantly confirmed the word of his messenger.

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12. On Sunday, April 29, he preached the first time in Moorfields, and on Kennington-common. And the thou sands of hearers were as quiet as they could have been in a church. Being again detained in England from month to month, he made little excursions into several counties, and received the contributions of willing multitudes, for an Orphan-house in Georgia. The em bargo which was now laid on the shipping, gave him leisure for more journies, through various parts of EngLand, for which many will have reason to bless God to all eternity. At length, on August 14, he embarked. But he did not land in Pensylvania till October 30. Afterwards he went through Pensylvania, the Jerseys, NewYork, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, preaching all along to immense congregations, with full as great effect as in England: on January 10, 1740, he arrived at Savannah.

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13. Fanuary 29, he added three desolate orphans to near twenty which he had in his house before. The next day, he laid out the ground for the house, about ten miles from Savannah. February 11, he took in four orphans more, and set out for Frederica, in order to fetch orphans that were in the southern parts of the colony.

colony. In his return he fixt a school, both for childreu and grown persons, at Darien, and took four orphans thence. March 25, he laid the first stone of the Orphanhouse, to which, with great propriety, he gave the name of Bethesda: a work for which the children yet unborn shall praise the Lord. He had now about forty orphans, so that there were near an hundred mouths to be fed daily. But he was careful for nothing, casting his care on him who feedeth the young ravens that call upon

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In April he made another tour through Pensylvania, the Jerseys, and New-York. Incredible multitudes flocked to hear, among whom were abundance of degroes. In all places the greater part of the hearers were affected to an amazing degree. Many were deep ly convinced of their lost state; many truly converted to God. In some places thousands cried out aloud; many as in the agonies of death. Most were drowned in tears; some turned pale as death; others were wrings ing their hands; others lying on the ground; others sinking into the arms of their friends; almost all lifting up their eyes, and calling for mercy.

15. He returned to Savannah, June 5. The next evening, during the public service, the whole congrega tion young and old, were dissolved in tears. After service, several of the parishioners, and all his family, particularly the little children, returned home crying along the streets, and some could not help praying aloud. The groans and cries of the children continued all night, and great part of the next day.

16. In August he set out again, and through various provinces came to Boston. While he was here, and in the neighbouring places, he was extremely weak in body. Yet the multitudes of hearers were so great, and the effects wrought on them so astonishing, as the oldest men then alive in the town had never seen before. The same power attended his preaching at New-York; particularly on Sunday, November 2. Almost as soon as he began, crying, weeping, and wailing, were to be heard on every side. Many sunk down to the ground, cut to the heart: and many were filled with divine consolation. Toward the close of his journey he made this reflection : "It is the seventy

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