90. The case in _London_ stands thus. In _November 1739_, two gentlemen, then unknown to me (Mr. _Ball_ and Mr. _Watkins_) came and desired me once and again, to preach in a place called the _Foundery_ near _Moorfields_. With much reluctance I at length complied. I was soon after pressed to take that place into my own hands. Those who were most earnest therein, lent me the purchase-money, which was 115l. Mr. _Watkins_ and Mr. _Ball_ then delivered me the names of several subscribers, who offered to pay, some four, or six, some ten shillings a year towards the repayment of the purchase-money, and the putting the buildings into repair. This amounted one year to near 200l. the second to about 140, and so to the last. 91. The united society began a little after, whose weekly contribution (for the poor) is received, and expended by the stewards, and comes not into my hands at all. But there is also a quarterly subscription of many of the society, which is nearly equal to that above mentioned. 92. The uses to which these subscriptions have been hitherto applied, are, 1st, the payment of that 115l. 2dly. The repairing (I might almost say rebuilding) that vast, uncouth heap of ruins at the _Foundery_; 3dly. The building galleries both for men and women; 4thly. The enlarging the society room to near thrice its first bigness. All taxes and occasional expences are likewise defrayed out of this fund. And it has been hitherto so far from yielding any overplus, that it has never sufficed for these purposes. So far from it, that I am still in debt, on these accounts, near 300l. So much have I hitherto gained by preaching the gospel! Besides a debt of 150l. still remaining on account of the school built at _Bristol_; and another of above 200l. on account of that now building at _Newcastle_. I desire any reasonable man would now sit down and lay these things together, and let him see, whether, allowing me a grain of common sense, (if not of common honesty) he can possibly conceive, that a view of _gain_ would induce me to act in this manner. 93. You can never reconcile it with any degree of common sense, that a man who wants nothing, who has already all the necessaries, all the conveniencies, nay, and many of the superfluities of life, and these not only independent on any one, but less liable to contingencies than even a gentleman’s freehold estate, that such an one should calmly and deliberately throw up his ease, most of his friends, his reputation, and that way of life, which of all others is most agreeable both to his nature, temper, and education: that he should toil day and night, spend all his time and strength, knowingly destroy a firm constitution, and hasten into weakness, pain, diseases, death,――to gain a debt of six or seven hundred pounds.