[53] This was in the month of March, 1736, immediately after Whitefield's return to Oxford (Whitefield's Works, vol. i., p. 13). Charles Wesley, on his return from Georgia, writes:--1736, December 6. I waited upon good old Sir John Philips, who received me as one alive from the dead. Here I heard a most blessed account of our friends at Oxford; their increase both in zeal and number" (C. Wesley's Journal, vol. i., p. 56). Sir Thomas Philips was one of the first members of the Society in Fetter Lane ("Life and Times of Countess of Huntingdon," vol. i., p. 77). He died a few weeks after Charles Wesley saw him. Hence, the following from the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for 1737, p. 60:--Died, January 5, 1737, Sir John Philips, Bart., of Picton Castle, Pembrokeshire; uncle to Sir Robert Walpole's lady. He served in several Parliaments for Pembroke and Haverfordwest'; was one of the commissioners for building the fifty new churches; and one of the Society for the Reformation of Manners." "In the meanwhile, having before made some observations upon the thirty-nine Articles, and proved them by Scripture,[54] I strictly examined myself by the qualifications required for a minister in St. Paul's Epistle to Timothy, and also by every question that I knew was to be publicly put to me at the time of my ordination. This latter I drew out in writing at large, and sealed my approbation of it every Sunday at the blessed sacrament. At length, Trinity Sunday being near at hand, and having my testimonials from the college, I went, a fortnight beforehand, to Gloucester, intending to compose some sermons, and to give myself more particularly to prayer. [54] "At least to my own satisfaction."--Edit. 1757. ["But God's thoughts are not as our thoughts. When I came to Gloucester, notwithstanding I strove and prayed for several days, and had matter enough in my heart, yet I was so restrained that I could not compose anything at all. I mentioned my case to one clergyman. He said, 'I was an enthusiast.' I wrote to another who was experienced in the divine life. He gave me some reasons why God might deal with me in that manner, and withal promised me his prayers. I joined with him in importunate supplication to know whether this restraint was from God or not. At last, in reading Mr. Henry upon the Acts of the Apostles, this passage was much pressed upon my heart, 'We assayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered us not.' Looking a little farther, I found a quotation out of Ezekiel, wherein God said to that young prophet, just after He had given him a divine and public commission, 'Thou shalt be dumb; but when I speak unto thee, then thou shalt speak.' This made me quite easy. The remainder of the fortnight I spent in reading the several missions of the prophets and apostles, and wrestled with God to give me grace to follow their good examples.]