Friday 14.--l returned to London. Saturday, 15. Having left orders for the immediate repairing of West Street Chapel, I went to see what they had done and saw cause to praise God for this also. The main timbers were so rotten that in many places one might thrust his fingers into them. So that probably, had we delayed till spring, the whole building must have fallen to the ground.
Monday, 17.--l went to Canterbury. Two hundred soldiers, I suppose, and a whole row of officers attended in the evening. Their number was increased the next evening, and all behaved as men fearing God. Wednesday, 19, I preached at Dover, in the new room which is just finished. Here also the hearers increase, some of whom are convinced and others comforted daily. Thursday, 20. I strongly applied at Canterbury to the soldiers in particular, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" [I John 5:12]. The next day, in my return to London, I read Mr. Huygens's Conjectures on the Planetary World. He surprised me. I think he clearly proves that the moon is not habitable: that there are neither
Rivers nor mountains on her spotty globe;
that there is no sea, no water on her surface, nor any atmosphere; and hence he very rationally infers that "neither are any of the secondary planets inhabited." And who can prove that the primary are? I know the earth is. Of the rest I know nothing.
Sunday, 23.--A vast majority of the immense congregation in Moorfields were deeply serious. One such hour might convince any impartial man of the expediency of field-preaching. What building, except St. Paul's Church, would contain such a congregation? And if it would, what human voice could have reached them there? By repeated observations I find I can command thrice the number in the open air that I can under a roof. And who can say the time for field-preaching is over while 1) greater numbers than ever attend; 2) the converting, as well as convincing, power of God is eminently present with them?
Monday, October 1 (Bristol).--All my leisure time, during my stay at Bristol, I employed in finishing the fourth volume of "Discourses"; probably the last which I shall publish.
Monday, 15--l walked up to Knowle, a mile from Bristol, to see the French prisoners. About eleven hundred of them, we are informed, were confined in that little place, without anything to lie on but a little dirty straw, or anything to cover them but a few foul thin rags, either by day or night, so that they died like rotten sheep. I was much affected and preached in the evening on (Exodus 23:9), "Thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." Eighteen pounds were contributed immediately, which were made up four-and-twenty the next day. With this we bought linen and woolen cloth, which were made up into shirts, waistcoats, and breeches. Some dozen of stockings were added; all which were carefully distributed where there was the greatest want. Soon after, the Corporation of Bristol sent a large quantity of mattresses and blankets. And it was not long before contributions were set on foot at London and in various parts of the kingdom; so that I believe from this time they were pretty well provided with all the necessaries of life.