At the beginning of 1807, Mr. Simeon's strength had become so impaired by over-exertion, and his voice was so feeble, that he was compelled to reduce for a season his ministerial duties; and to devolve on Mr. Thomason an important part of the Service, in which he had so greatly delighted.

"I wish you to prepare to stand up in Trinity Church on Sunday evening; in the morning I wish to preach, whatever may be the state of my body, because it may be that but I forbear. This only

I will say, that my soul is joyful in the prospect of suffering, as well as doing, the will of God. I do find I am getting nearer to God; and I do believe I shall get great good to my soul from this interval of leisure. What if the Lord should be saying, 'Set thine house in order.' I bless His name, that I am glad to receive that saying from Him, and to address myself to that work. I feel truly thankful to God that I shall have nothing to do on the fast-day but to spend it in humiliation and prayer."

CHAPTER IX.

DIARY DURING HIS INDISPOSITION -THOUGHTS ON CESSATION FROM DUTY-FIRST SUNDAY AT LYNN-REMARKS ON FASTING RESIDENCE IN LONDON-VISIT TO MR. NEWTON-MR. ROBIN

SON'S AND MR. CECIL'S SERMONS-MR. WILBERFORCE'S PRAYER

-MR. CLAYTON-CALUMNIES OF FLOWER-LETTER FROM THE BISHOP OF ELY-ON CHRISTIAN LOVE LADY MARY FITZGERALD-ON AN UNPLEASANT RUMOUR-EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF HIS BROTHER-MR. FRY'S PREACHING PASSION-WEEKAWAKENING EFFECTS OF THE LITURGY-OPPOSITION TO MISSIONARIES-SERVICES OF FEMALES-DUTIES OF CHILDREN TO PARENTS JOURNEY TO CORNWALL-ON RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS

GRENFELL

-

-DR. HAWKER-TRURO AND ST. MICHAEL'S MOUNT-MISS LETTER FROM HENRY MARTYN-MR. SIMEON'S THOUGHTS ON MARRIAGE-LETTER TO MR. VENN-DR. FEARONLETTER ΤΟ MR. EDWARDS MR. THOMASON'S AFFECTIONATE ADVICE-LETTER TO HIS PARISHIONERS.

1807.

DIARY BEGUN AT LYNN.

Saturday Evening, Feb. 21, 1807.

"HAVING found my strength gradually decreasing, I determined, with the advice of different friends, to lay aside all ministerial labour for a season, and to seek, by air and exercise, the recovery of my former vigour. It was at first my intention not to begin my vacation till after Easter; but daily experience proved the expediency of beginning it as soon as possible. I therefore fixed the first week in March for its commencement. Being by this means prevented from attending the Meeting of Ministers in the Spring, I paid a visit to my Lynn friends for four days. Whilst I was there, I received a most

affectionate letter from Mr. Thomason, signed also by Mr. Preston and Mr. Yeates, desiring me to prolong my stay here, and to perform no duty, either on the Sabbath, or the Fast Day, on 25th instant. This was very contrary to my intentions; but the weakness which I felt in my chest and my voice, inclined me to acquiesce: and the sudden change of weather, to frost and snow, was an additional inducement. Since I have been here, I have found that even to engage in family prayer twice in the day is, notwithstanding the utmost care in speaking low, a greater exertion than my voice will bear. I feel therefore that God in his providence is calling me to silence: and as he suffered his highly-favoured servant St. Paul to be repeatedly confined, for two whole years together in prison, and thereby reduced him to the necessity of exchanging his public ministry for private instruction, so I hope it is in order to promote some gracious ends, that he is now calling me to suspend the labours which I have till lately followed, without one Sabbath's intermission, for above twenty-four years. I know indeed and feel that he might justly lay me aside, as a vessel wherein he has no pleasure; but I humbly hope that this dispensation will be in mercy to my soul; and that God is giving me more leisure for reading, meditation, and prayer. That I may second the intentions of his providence, I purpose, during this interval of relaxation, to keep

A DIARY,

that I may the more carefully observe what benefit accrues to me from this affliction. And I am not without hope, that this purpose of mine is, as proceeding from my God, a token for good; and that

it will be attended with many salutary effects to my soul. May God enable me to state my feelings with sincerity, and keep me from yielding to vanity and hypocrisy, which find too much scope for exercise in records like these."

"Sunday, Feb. 22. I was not without some comfort in my private devotions. The thought that my whole life was but an hand-breadth,' and that so large a part of it was passed, was delightful to me. In the family prayer I felt some enlargement; and was joyful afterwards in the thought, that, without any allowed backwardness in me to ministerial engagements, I had a Sabbath to spend solely in the exercise of personal duties. At the Chapel (St. Margaret's) I found the prayers sweet to my soul; and was devoutly occupied in them almost the whole time but the sermon, though a good sermon, (on 1 Thess. iv. 1) and well delivered, (according to the general notion of delivery,) had no effect, and made not the least impression on me. Doubtless this was my own fault, but yet I cannot help ascribing it much to the mode of delivering written sermons, for I was lively in my own soul in a more than ordinary degree, and well disposed to hear an exhortation to abound in holy duties; but the solemn sameness of the delivery, (unrelieved by any occasional relaxation of more familiar address, or any animated, energetic address to arrest the mind and inflame the soul,) deadened my attention, and left me not only unimpressed, but almost uninstructed. For want of more rapidity in connecting the beginning and end of the sentences, I lose the sense of them; or, if I comprehend them ever so clearly, I remain unaffected by them. I cannot but think it a great pity, that a Minister, well qualified to preach extempore, should still adhere to written sermons. He possesses all the qualifications that are necessary to make a most distinguished and useful preacher; and that in a very eminent degree; extensive knowledge, deep acquaintance with the heart, a clear, strong voice, a commanding manner, a tender and affectionate spirit, an ardent love to souls, and a most unfeigned desire to approve himself

In the afternoon Mr.

preached on,

to God.. "Add godliness.' He opened our duty to God from that compendium in our Catechism, and then applied it. His sermon was judicious; and his manner was somewhat easier than in the morning: but still it confirmed the sentiments expressed above. I had not (which alas! is seldom the case with me in an afternoon) any drowsiness; and for this I thank my God: happy should I be never to feel it any more in the time of divine service; but my mind was not spiritual; nor was I devout in prayer. On the whole, I had great cause for humiliation; and I beg of God that I may bow before him as a most unprofitable servant.

Wednesday, Feb. 25. Fast-day. I wished much to keep this day holy to the Lord. In every point of view— as laid aside from work, and suspended as it were from my office, it became me to humble myself, and I was entirely at liberty to detach my mind from everything that was foreign to that duty. I have always judged it inexpedient for a minister to fast, because he is thereby in danger of unfitting himself for his work; but my neglect of it on other occasions laid a ten-fold obligation on me to consecrate this day to God in fasting as well as prayer. In my morning devotions I was tolerably comfortable, but not able to humble myself as I could wish. In the family prayer my spirit was much enlarged; and a blessing seemed to descend on all of us. At the Chapel I could not get my soul engaged in the prayers as I ought.

Friday, March 6. Set off to London with a view to an entire cessation from work. I think I got stronger by means of my journey to Lynn: and I am convinced I got good to my soul. I doubt whether I ever spent ten days together more profitably with respect to my own soul. I enjoyed, on the whole, more communion with God than usual; and there was more of an unction upon my own spirit. On last Sunday, March 1st, I was much helped in preaching upon Phil. i. 27, though I have often been more impressed in administering the Lord's Supper. The late reproofs to my people have been attended with a good effect; their love to me seems to increase more and more; and their good wishes for my recovery have been very refreshing to my