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the state prison, (which I had long before felt a desire to visit) to hold religious meetings there. Brother Kerr, whom I had seen in Ireland, was one of the keepers, and obtained a verbal permit for a friend of his to hold meeting with the convicts, though in general written ones from two inspectors were required from those who are invested with powers to grant them. Two calvinists preached there generally: but this Sunday one of them was called away to a sacramental meeting, and the other readily consented to give up his part of the day without examining who or what I was---(these three circumstances of the one inspector and two preachers I perhaps view in a different light than what some do)-I thought predestination was poor stuff to feed these prisoners with, considering their conduct and state; so I spoke upon particular election and reprobation and a free salvation, not out of controversy, but to inform the mind. I had held but one short meeting since my sickness; and I was still so weak, that I scarcely knew how to stand; yet I soon forgot myself and stood an hour; and in the af ternoon I stood about two, whilst speaking on deism, and the melting power of God seemed to be present, as we formed a covenant to meet each other at the throne of grace, &c. (I spoke at night in the poor-house)-I I believe there was between three and four hundred prisoners.

Monday 3d. I received a letter from one of the pris oners who was condemned to imprisonment for life for the crime of forgery: he was a deist when put in: but now he seems desirous for salvation-he, in the name of a number, requested me to visit them.

Tuesday 4th. I visited the cells where some of the most impenitent were confined, and tears began to flow, through the ion gates, I spoke to others in the different rooms of the mechanics, (nailors excepted)-I spoke with some and prayed also, and all was still and attention; so my heart seemed to melt towards them in love, Then I visited the sad women, and it was observed that some of the worst of them were brought to bow. I obtained the favour of visiting the prison through and speaking to the prisoners on a week-day: this I was informed had not been granted to any one before they

were going to petition the governor for a permit for the visit if I had not obtained it without, considering I could not tarry till the following sabbath. Afterwards I was

informed that a number became serious; and one who aided in burning Albany, who was deistical and a bad prisoner, got convicted and died happy soon after; which was a matter of consolation to me-the preachers visited the prison, and hearing of the impressions made on some minds, appeared more soft and friendly, and had thoughts of offering me the African meeting-house; but feeling my mind bound for Connecticut, I could not feel free to stay. I got some religious hand-bills printed, and procured some books to give away; so I had not money enough left to carry me home; and giving away about seventeen hundred hand-bills over the city, I found a vessel bound for Middletown, and went on board just as she was going off, though the captain was a stranger to me; the vessel put into Hew-Haven where I debarked, and the captain gave me my passage gratis, though he knew not but that I had plenty of money, which happened well for me. I held a few meetings in New-Haven, which seemed not altogether in vain, though the devil was angry and a few stones flew from some of his children, or agents, one of which came through the window in the pulpit and struck just by my side. A young man of no religion left a dollar in my hand, which enabled me to take the stage (though I still was feeble in conse quence of my late illness) thirteen miles and procure me a breakfast; then walking a few miles to Durham, I called at an inn to rest, and the landlord, who was a methodist, knew me, and constrained me to tarry all night and hold two meetings. I then sent forward appointments into the neighbouring towns and parishes, &c. in every direction, though I knew not how I should. get on to fulfil them.

Thursday 13th. I arrived in Middletown, expecting the society would treat me cool, but was agreeably disappointed. When in the south, I found some minutes of a conference held between the presbyterian, baptist, and methodist preachers, twenty-five in number, to form regulations, &c. how the different societies might be on more friendly terms together, as the contentions be

tween the different sects had been a great injury to the cause of religion in the unbelieving world: these minutes met my approbation, so I got hundreds of them reprinted, and sent them to ministers and preachers through the north, and finding the congregation divi- ded about an independent meeting-house here in Middletown, and being informed that the parties were to meet, &c. I went in the dead of the night, and had some of my union minutes pasted on three doors of the meeting house. The next morning they were read by many. I suppose each party on the first sight conclu- ded it was a threatning from the other, till they found its contents; when they met, I sent in a petition for the liberty of its pulpit, &c. and afterwards the methodists had it more frequent.

Oh, the mercy of God! Oh, the rebellion of man! discouragements are before me, but my trust is still in

God.

Saturday 22d. Having had seventeen meetings the week past, which were as hard as thirty common ones, on account of their length, &c. a friend aided me with a horse, so I came to Eastbury about ten at night, where was a quarterly meeting; the preachers treated me with more friendship seven times than I expected, particularly Broadhead the elder, who had wrote to me in Europe, a friendly letter, that many preachers and people in my native land would wish to see my face again, though I had never seen him before. I had laid out for the worst, and if I were disappointed it should be on the right side.

Sunday 23d. I was permitted to preach for the first time, at a quarterly meeting, and the melting power of "God seemed to be present, and a quickening was felt amongst the people. I sent forward about three score appointments, in different parts of this state, from this meeting, though I saw no way how I could get on to fulfil them. However, Providence provided a way.Abner Wood, one of the preachers, having an extra horse, offered it to me very reasonable, so I gave him. an order on Mr. Garrettson, for the eighteen dollars in his hands, and let him take my watch, (which a woman had sent me just as I was embarking for America)

Brother

at what price it should be thought proper, &c. Burrows gave me an old saddle, and one of the preachers, John Nicholes, gave me a whip.

Selling the gospel is not in so good a demand now as formerly, and bigotry through America, is falling fast, and God is bringing it down, and christian love prevailing more and more. This visit, which I am now upon, was what I felt to be my duty when on my passage home across the Atlantic.

When I was on the Orange circuit, I felt something within that needed to be done away. I spoke to one and another concerning the pain I felt in my happiest moments, which caused a burthen but no guilt: some said one thing and some another; but none spoke to my case, but seemed to be like physicians that did not understand the nature of my disorder: thus the burthen continued, and sometimes felt greater than the burthen of guilt for justificatoin, until I fell in with T. Dewey, on Cambridge circuit. He told me about Calvin Woster, in Upper Canada, that he enjoyed the blessing of sanctification, and had a miracle wrought on his body, in some sense. The course of nature turned in conscquence, and he was much owned and blessed of God in his ministerial labours. I felt a great desire arise in my heart to see the man, if it might be consistent with the Divine Will; and not long after, I heard he was passing through the circuit, and going home to die, I immediately rode five miles to the house, but found he was gone another five miles further. I went into the room

where he was asleep-he appeared to me more like one from the eternal world, than like one of my fellow mortals. I told him, when he awoke, who I was, and what I had come for. Said he, God has convicted you for the blessing of sanctification, and that blessing is to be obtained by the simple act of faith, the same as the blessing of justification. I persuaded him to tarry in the neighbourhood a few days; and a couple of evenings after the above, after I had done speaking one evening, he spoke, or rather whispered out an exhortation, as his voice was so broken in consequence of praying, in the stir in Upper Canada; as from twenty to thirty were frequently blessed at a meeting. He told me that if he

could get a sinner under conviction, crying for mercy, they would kneel down a dozen of them, and not rise till he found peace; for, said he, we did believe God would bless him, and it was according to our faith. At this time he was in a consumption, and a few weeks after, expired; and his last words were, as I am informed, " ye must be sanctified or be damned," and casting a look upward, went out like the snuff of a candle, without terror; and while whispering out the above exhortation, the power which attended the same, reached the hearts of the people; and some who were standing and sitting, fell like men shot in the field of battle; and I felt it like a tremor to run through my soul and every vein, so that it took away my limb power, so that I fell to the floor, and by faith, saw a greater blessing than I' had hitherto experienced, or in other words, felt a Divine conviction of the need of a deeper work of grace in my soul feeling some of the remains of the evil nature, the effect of Adam's fall, still remaining, and it my privilege to have it eradicated or done away: my soul was in an agony-I could but groan out my desires to God-he came to me, and said, believe the blessing is now: no sooner had the words dropped from his lips, than I strove to believe the blessing mine now, with all the powers of my soul, then the burthen dropped or fell from my breast, and a solid joy, and a gentle running peace filled my soul. From that time to this, I have not had that extacy of joy or that downcast of spirit as formerly; but more of an inward, simple, sweet running peace from day to day, so that prosperity or adversity doth not produce the ups and downs as formerly; but my soul is more like the ocean, whilst its surface is uneven by reason of the boisterous wind, the bottom is still calm; so that a man may be in the midst of outward difficulties, and yet the centre of the soul may be calmly stayed on God: the perfections of angels are such, that they cannot fall away; which some think is attainable by mortals here; but I think we cannot be perfect as God, for absolute perfection belongs to him. alone; neither as perfect as angels, nor even as Adam before he fell, because our bodies are now mortal, and tend to clog the mind, and weigh the spirit down: