The six following days I was occupied at and about home, with a grieved mind most of the time, on account of the conduct of some of my neighbours, particularly one of my tenants, and one other, who spent the week principally attending horse races; a most pernicious practice, leading to more evil than almost any other wicked custom that the loose and the vain are so foolishly addicted to; for it is not only spending our precious time in a vain and wanton manner, but likewise manifests great ingratitude to the Author of all our blessings, if not a total disbelief in him: for how can it be supposed that a rational mind, that has a real belief in God, could have hardiness enough to drive a horse in a race, to gratify a number of idle and vain spectators; and if for a bribe or a wager, it adds greatly to the sin, as it is then accompanied with covetousness and dishonesty. When we consider that the horse is one of the great temporal blessings conferred on man, by a gracious and beneficent providence, to abuse him without cause, by driving him in a race, is both cruel and wicked; for his life, and the life of his rider are both at stake, as it sometimes happens that both are killed. And not one single real good ever has arisen, or ever can be looked for, from it: for the truth of which, I dare appeal to any rational man who was ever in the practice, that it has never produced one hour of real peace to the mind. First day, the 8th. As I sat in our meeting, the declaration of Paul, introductory to his epistle to the Hebrews, presented to my mind, and opened to a very interesting communication, showing that “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers [in Israel] by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things.” This renders it necessary for every true follower of him, to hear him in all things, as now, under the gospel dispensation, we have no other sufficient teacher but the Lord Jesus Christ, by his spirit in our hearts; therefore, they who do not hear and obey him, cannot be saved, but, agreeably to the testimony of Moses, “the wrath of God abideth on them.” Second and third days. Were taken up in attending our meeting for sufferings. The rest of the week I was occupied in my temporal concerns, except attending our preparative meeting on fifth day.