Nehemiah Wallington's Notebooks: To the Christian Reader 1654

The names of these books that I have written (some are but in part) are as followeth:

1. First, The Poor Widow's Mite, in which is some places of Scripture I had gathered and written out in the year 1620.

2. Another book which in the twenty year of my age, 1618, in the trouble of my mind I did begin to write down my sins, but after by the goodness of God, finding some comfort, I left that and began to write another book called..

3. A Record of God's Mercies, or A Thankful Remembrance, wherein is set down my miserable and sad condition of my corrupt nature with some of the many mercies of God to my soul and body to the year 1630.

4. Another book with places of holy Scripture, which I gather against all manner of sins in 1622.

5. A Memorial of God's Judgments upon Sabbath Breakers, Drunkards and Other Vile Livers, 1632.

6. The Traveler's Meditation, or the Traveler's Exercise, 1632 in part written.

7. The Marks that I am a Child of God, 1632.

8. Psalms I gathered out to learn to sing in the heaviness and trouble of my mind, 1634.

9. The History of Francis Spira, 1635.

10. The Complaint of a Sinner, admiring at the mercies of God.

11. A book with a black cover, which I have written many precious sermons, which I did give to my wife, 1636.

12. A book wherein I did write the cruel suffering of Mr. Burton, Mr. Prynne, and Doctor Bastwick under the prelates in 1637.

13. A book of places of Scripture which I gathered out to show the woeful estate of the wicked and the happy estate of the godly, 1637.

14. A book of some choice Psalms, which my father chose out, I did write and gave them to my wife, 1639.

15. A black cover book wherein I did write out some special graces for the preparing to go to the Lord's Supper, 1639.

6. Three paper books of the weekly passages of Parliament, 1640, 1641.

17. A black cover book called A Bundle of Mercies in the beginning of Parliament, which book I was constrained to leave about the middle and write of the miseries that broke forth in Ireland, 1640.

18. Another black cover book of the benefit that I have by the Lord's Supper, which I call The Growth of a Christian, 1641.

19. A little book, which I called my Bosom Book of Protestation and Covenant, 1641.

20. A black cover book called Bitter Cries and Complaints at the Terrible Grim Looks of Sin, 1644.

21. A book at one end I have written places of Scripture, how the Lord hath heard and helped his children in war, and at the other end are places in Scripture of a right Fast, and how such a Fast and prayer prevailed with God, 1645.

22. A thin paper book with a parchment cover, wherein I have written the names of all my books, with my will and testament, and sweet exhortation to my wife and child.

23. A black cover book called The WonderWorking God, or The God that Worketh Wonders, wherein you may see how the Lord from Fast to Fast answers prayers and giving us many great victories in 1643 and 644

24. A black cover book called Cordial Promises, which I did write to comfort my soul in these staggering times, 1644.

26. A black cover book called A Record of Mercies Continued, or Yet God is Good to Israel, strewing how God answers our prayers from Fast to Fast in many victories, 1645.

27. A small parchment book called England's Plots, 1645.

28. A double book with a red cover: one called A Encouragement to Faith and Prayer to Pert Persons;

29. The other, An Encouragement to Faith and Prayer in that the Lord hath given a return of prayer to us in general good, 1645.

3o. Another book, which I called Examples of God's Wrath upon Those that have broke His Commandments, The Thunderbolt of God's Wrath, and Mr. Vicker's Looking Glass, bound up with it, 1645.

31. Two paper books which I did write sermons, 1646.

32. A black cover book called A Touchstone of Comfort; at the other end I did write my trouble in being chose to be an Elder, 1646.

33. A book called The Mighty Works of the Lord, which is a Prop to Faith. I did give this to my wife, 1646.

34. Another book, which I did begin to write sermons in, I did give to my wife, 1647.

35. A book with clasps, called The Cry of Conscience, 1647.

36. A black cover book, called A New War sprung out of the Old; in it is shewed how we have had three sorts of war in these nine years last past: a prelatical war; 2, a profane war; 3, an hypocritical war, 1648; and I did intend to have written on a fourth war, which I know not how to call it: brother goes to war against brother, 1649.

37. A black cover book I did begin to write against the errors of these times, but because there were so many that hath done it far better than I can, I did give it over, 1649.

38. A little book with clasps I did begin to write, concerning the means I should use before I take the Engagement, 1650.

39. A book with a red cover and blue leaves, wherein is written the copies of profitable and comfortable letters, 1650.

4o. A red cover book with yellow leaves and clasps called Great Sorrow Turned into Great Rejoicing, 1650.

41. A long book with a black cover and clasps, called A Day Book of my Sins, or Of Experienced Mercies, 1652.

42. A little book with blue leaves called Morning Meditations, 1652.

43. A book with a red cover and clasps called Experienced Mercies of Faith and Return of Prayers, 1652/53.

44. 45. Two books more with blue leaves called Experienced Mercies of Faith and Return of Prayers, 1653.

46. A book with a black cover, yellow leaves, and clasps called Eight Hard Lessons, and at the end, Experienced Mercies of Faith in the Promises and Return of Prayer, 1653/54.

47. And now this last book which I intend to write, called Extract of the Passages of my Life, or The Book of All My Writing Books.

48. Another book which concerned the grace of patience, which I did write near twenty years ago, and I gave it to my Sister Patience.

49. A paper book I did write in the year 1640, concerning some articles to reform my life, and some directions how to hear and pray well and to live an holy life.

50. And now this year 1654 in April 1, I did begin to write another book with sermons I did hear at the morning exercise. This is the fifty book that I have written in. The Lord make me humble and write it in my heart.

[Of the so numbered notebooks listed there, only nos. 3, 5, 16, 18, 39, and 47 survive.]