AN EXTRACT OF JOHN NELSON'S JOURNAL; BEING AN ACCOUNT OF GOD'S DEALING WITH HIS SOUL FROM HIS LIKEWISE THE OPPRESSIONS HE MET WITH FROM PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."-2 Cor. i. 3, 4. "Lord, Thou hast led the blind by a way that he knew not." "Where shall my wondering soul begin? How shall I all to heaven aspire ? A brand pluck'd from eternal fire, THE PREFACE. THE following sheets were written at divers times, for my own satisfaction. But about seventeen years ago, when I was in the Newcastle Round, I transcribed them into a book. Some of our friends saw them, and begged they might be printed; which I refused at that time, knowing my own ignorance and inability. However, Mr. Thornton the lawyer heard of it, and desired me to let him see it; when he thought, as "the Case" had been already published, and had been a means of stirring up many to hear the word, this might be of use to comfort some that were in trouble, and advised me to put it to the press. I declined it for the present; but Mr. Thornton showed them to several friends at Leeds, who were of the same opinion, and pressed upon me to print it immediately, which I with much reluctance agreed to and I pray that God may make it a blessing to all that read it; and if any receive benefit therefrom, the Lord shall have the glory; for to Him alone it doth belong. What is wrong may the Lord pardon! and that no one may be hurt by me, or anything I have written or preached, is the sincere prayer of their unworthy servant, For Christ's sake, [Birstal, 1767.] JOHN NELSON. THE JOURNAL OF MR. JOHN I, JOHN NELSON, was born in the parish of Birstal, in the West Riding of the county of York, in October, 1707, and brought up a mason, as was my father before me. When I was between nine and ten years old, I was horribly terrified with the thoughts of death and judgment, whenever I was alone. One Sunday night, as I sat on the ground by the side of my father's chair, when he was reading the twentieth chapter of the Revelation, the word came with such light and power to my soul, that it made me tremble, as if a dart were shot at my heart. I fell with my face on the floor, and wept till the place was as wet, where I lay, as if water had been poured thereon. As my father proceeded, I thought I saw everything he read about, though my eyes were shut; and the sight was so terrible, I was about to stop my ears, that I might not hear, but I durst not: as soon as J put my fingers in my ears, I pulled them back again. When he came to the eleventh verse, the words made me cringe, and my flesh seemed to creep on my bones while he read, " And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat thereon, from whose face |