hren what effect this doctrine had had upon me, on first receiving
it, even to determine me to leave London, and to preach throughout the
kingdom; but that the Lord had kept me chiefly at Teignmouth for these
two years and three months, and that it seemed to me now that the time
was near when I should leave them. I reminded them of what I told them
when they requested me to take the oversight of them, that I could make
no certain engagement, but stay only so long with them as I should see
it to be the Lord's will to do so. There was much weeping afterwards.
But I am now again in peace.

April 16. This morning I am still in peace. I am glad I have spoken to
the brethren, that they may be prepared, in case the Lord should take me
away. I left to-day for Dartmouth, where I preached in the evening. I
had five answers to prayer to-day. 1. I awoke at five, for which I had
asked the Lord last evening. 2. The Lord removed from my dear wife an
indisposition under which she had been suffering. It would have been
trying to me to have had to leave her in that state. 3. The Lord sent us
money. 4. There was a place vacant on the Dartmouth coach, which only
passes through Teignmouth. 5. This evening I was assisted in preaching,
and my own soul refreshed.

April 21. I would offer here a word of warning to believers. Often the
work of the Lord itself may be a temptation to keep us from that
communion with him which is so essential to the benefit of our own
souls. On the 19th I had left Dartmouth, conversed a good deal that day,
preached in the evening, walked afterwards eight miles, had only about
five hours' sleep, travelled again the next day twenty-five miles,
preached twice, and conversed very much besides, went to bed at eleven,
and arose before five. All this shows that my body and spirit required
rest, and, therefore, however careless about the Lord's work I might
have appeared to my brethren, I ought to have had a great deal of quiet
time for prayer and reading the word, especially as I had a long journey
before me that day, and as I was going to Bristol, which in itself
required much prayer. Instead of this, I hurried to the prayer meeting,
after a few minutes' private prayer. But let none think that public
prayer will make up for closet communion. Then again, afterwards, when I
ought to have withdrawn myself, as it were, by force, from the company
of beloved brethren and sisters, and given my testimony for the Lord,
(and, ind