“I came off from them at length in peace of conscience, and serenity of mind. From the first of it to the last, I was not the least disturbed, nor stirred in anger or malice towards them. O God, it is thou alone that hast wrought this deliverance for me.”
He abode in those parts for some months, and went through both evil and good report. While going about daily, he endeavoured, by all means the conversion of their souls. He often wanted proper necessaries for his body, and much impaired his health, through the greatness of his fatigues. But this by no means dampt the concern which he felt for perishing sinners, great numbers of whom were present to his view wherever he came. A desire of being instrumental towards opening their eyes, and turning them to God, brought him among them; nor could any personal inconveniences alter his purpose, till providence directed his way elsewhere.
CHAPTER III.
Some farther account of the trouble he met with on account of preaching the gospel.
OUR Saviour, said of his kingdom, If it were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered into your hands. Satan on the contrary, is said to be the prince, and god of this world. And how numerous are his poor vassals! When therefore his servants perceive their master’s kingdom in danger, they do fight, lest it should be subjected to its rightful Lord.
And hence only can be accounted for that opposition, which this servant of Christ, burning with desire to promote his kingdom, met with among most denominations of Christians, so called, wherever he came. Some, it is true, in almost every place, received the word gladly; while others not only did not regard it, but treated him with unkindness, even to abusive language, blows, or imprisonment.
The following instance, and which was the occasion of my first knowledge of him, happened in the town of my nativity, about twenty miles from the city of Cork.
At the repeated request of some of the inhabitants, he went thither accompanied by a few friends from the town of Bandon, June 11, 1752. The magistrate, who was also rector of the parish, the Rev. Mr. William Ellis, was applied to for the use of the market-house; which being refused, it was proposed, that he should preach at a small distance from the town. Thither he went accompanied by multitudes to whom, under the canopy of heaven, near a spacious strand, and shaded by a spreading tree, he affectionately declared the gospel of the grace of God.
By the time he had got to the place appointed, the magistrate, had sent his serjeants to forbid him preaching, “But being (to use his own words) of the opinion, that it was better to obey God than man,” he stept up upon a table prepared for that purpose, and immediately opening his little bible read to them, Job xxi. 3. Suffer me that I may speak, and after that I have spoken, mock on. The seasonable singularity of the text, so excited their attention, that they permitted him to finish quietly.