id not confine my labours
to this place; for I preached regularly once a week in Exeter, once a
fortnight at Topsham, sometimes at Shaldon, often at Exmouth, sometimes in
the above-mentioned villages near Exmouth, regularly once a week at
Bishopsteignton, where a part of the church lived, and afterwards
repeatedly at Chudleigh, Collumpton, Newton Bushel, and elsewhere.

That which I now considered the best mode of preparation for the public
ministry of the Word, no longer adopted from necessity, on account of want
of time, but from deep conviction, and from the experience of God's
blessing upon it, both as it regards my own enjoyment, the benefit of the
saints, and the conversion of sinners, is as follows:--1. I do not presume
to know myself what is best for the hearers, and I therefore ask the Lord
in the first place, that He would graciously be pleased to teach me on
what subject I shall speak, or what portion of His word I shall expound.
Now sometimes it happens, that previous to my asking Him, a subject or
passage has been in my mind, on which it has appeared well for me to
speak. In that case I ask the Lord, whether I should speak on this subject
or passage. If, after prayer, I feel persuaded that I should I fix upon
it, yet so, that I would desire to leave myself open to the Lord to change
it, if He please. Frequently, however, it occurs, that I have no text or
subject in my mind, before I give myself to prayer for the sake of
ascertaining the Lord's will concerning it. In this case I wait some time
on my knees for an answer, trying to listen to the voice of the Spirit to
direct me. If then a passage or subject, whilst I am on my knees, or after
I have finished praying for a text, is brought to my mind, I again ask the
Lord, and that sometimes repeatedly, especially if, humanly speaking, the
subject or text should be a peculiar one, whether it be His will that I
should speak on such a subject or passage. If after prayer my mind is
peaceful about it, I take this to be the text, but still desire to leave
myself open to the Lord for direction, should He please to alter it, or
should I have been mistaken. Frequently also, in the third place, it
happens, that I not only have no text nor subject on my mind previous to
my praying for guidance in this matter, but also I do not obtain one after
once, or twice, or more times praying about it. I used formerly at times
to be much perplexed, when this was the case, but for more