gs,
because these were only the dismal objects which represented themselves
to me as I looked through my chamber windows (for I seldom opened
the casements), while I confined myself within doors during that most
violent raging of the pestilence; when, indeed, as I have said, many
began to think, and even to say, that there would none escape; and
indeed I began to think so too, and therefore kept within doors for
about a fortnight and never stirred out. But I could not hold it.
Besides, there were some people who, notwithstanding the danger, did not
omit publicly to attend the worship of God, even in the most dangerous
times; and though it is true that a great many clergymen did shut up
their churches, and fled, as other people did, for the safety of their
lives, yet all did not do so. Some ventured to officiate and to keep up
the assemblies of the people by constant prayers, and sometimes sermons
or brief exhortations to repentance and reformation, and this as long as
any would come to hear them. And Dissenters did the like also, and even
in the very churches where the parish ministers were either dead or
fled; nor was there any room for making difference at such a time as
this was.

It was indeed a lamentable thing to hear the miserable lamentations of
poor dying creatures calling out for ministers to comfort them and pray
with them, to counsel them and to direct them, calling out to God for
pardon and mercy, and confessing aloud their past sins. It would make
the stoutest heart bleed to hear how many warnings were then given by
dying penitents to others not to put off and delay their repentance to
the day of distress; that such a time of calamity as this was no time
for repentance, was no time to call upon God. I wish I could repeat the
very sound of those groans and of those exclamations that I heard
from some poor dying creatures when in the height of their agonies and
distress, and that I could make him that reads this hear, as I imagine I
now hear them, for the sound seems still to ring in my ears.

If I could but tell this part in such moving accents as should alarm the
very soul of the reader, I should rejoice that I recorded those things,
however short and imperfect.

It pleased God that I was still spared, and very hearty and sound in
health, but very impatient of being pent up within doors without air,
as I had been for fourteen days or thereabouts; and I could not
restrain myself, but I would go to carry