I sat down and wrote to a cousin of mine, in the
neighbourhood (and the letter had gone), to get me the parish church for
the next evening, and said, "I would come to her on a visit for a few
days, as my preaching in this place was brought to an end."

I spoke that evening, and announced that I would do so again on
Thursday. On the following day I went on this promised visit to another
part of the county, and was not long in the company of my cousin, before
I found out that she had been brought up in Evangelical doctrines, and
hated Puseyism; but that she had never been converted. In the evening,
we went to the Minster Church, the use of which she had obtained for me.
There, I preached from the words, "Behold, I stand at the door and
knock." (I did not know then, as I old now, that this is a text for
believers.) Accommodating it for my purpose, I made out that many people
assented to evangelical doctrines, without yielding to them: that is,
they heard the knocking, but did not open the door and receive the
Saviour; therefore, they remained unsaved; and if they died like that,
would be lost for ever!

When I first ascended the pulpit, which stood outside of a high chancel
screen, I looked towards the nave, and saw it filled with high pews,
which, as I thought, were for the most part empty; whereas, I could see
that the choir and chancel, which was brightly lighted, was full of
choir-men and boys, besides many people; so instead of turning my back
upon the many in the lighted chancel, and addressing myself to the
unseen few in the large dark nave, I turned round in the pulpit, and,
looking through the screen, I preached to those I could see. The people
in the nave, however, were most attentive to hear; and after the sermon
came up and asked me why I had turned my back on them, for they could
not hear all I said. Evidently they had heard something which had
interested them. Seeing so many were anxious, we invited those who
wished for further help, or instruction, to come home with us. Many did
so, and we held a kind of after-meeting, in which my cousin and several
others found peace.

I could not promise to stay there any longer, having settled to return
on Thursday to resume services in the church previously referred to.
Accordingly I went back to a neighbouring town, where my good vicar had
appointed to meet me. He did so, and, without delay, commenced telling
me, that he had had a long talk with some of his brother c