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On Saturday, September 29 1770 Mr. Whitfield rode from portsmouth to Easter fifteen miles in the morning and preached there to a very great multitude in the fields it is remarkable that before he went out to preach that day which proved to be his last sermons Mr. Clarhorn senior observing him more weary then usual said to him Sir you are more set to go to bed than to preach To which Mr. Whitefield answered true sir but turning and he clapsed his hands together and looking up said Lord Jesus I am weary in thy work but not of thy work If I have no yet set my course let me go and speak for thee once more in the fields seal thy truth and come home and die His last sermon was from 2 Cor XIII.5 Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith prove your own sins know you are your ownselve honr than Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates the dined at captain Gillman's after dinner offer. Mr. Whitefield does
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rest five or three days riding without preaching would set him up again soon afterwards he asked me to put the window up a little higher though it was half up all night for said he I cannot breathe but I hope I shall be better by and by a good pulpit sweet to day may give me relief I shall be better after preaching I said to him I wished he would not preach so often He replied I had rather wear out than rust out I then told him I was afraid he took cold in preaching yesterday
He said he believed he had and then sat up in the bed and prayed that God would be pleased to bless his preaching where he had been and also blest his preaching that day that more souls might be brought to Christ and prayed for direction whether he should winter at Boston or hasten to the Southernward - prayed for a blessing on his bethesda college and but
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Lord Parsons rode to Norberry and did not get there till to hours after them I found them at supper I asked Mr. Whitefield how he felt himself after his journey He said he was tired therefore he supperd early and would go to bed He eat a very little supper talked but little asked Mr. Parsons to discharge the table and perform family duty and then retired up stairs. He said that he would sit and read till I came to him which I did as soon as possible and found him reading in the Bible with Mr. Watt's Psalms being open before him I asked for some water-gruel and took about half his usual quantity and kneeling down by the bedside closed the evening with prayer After a little conversation be went to rest and slept till two in the morning when he awoke me and asked for a litle cider he drank about a wine glass full. I asked him how he felt for he seemed to pant for breath. He told me his asthma was coming on and again he must have two or three days