Wesley Corpus

about four miles from Harston. Many from Harston walked thither, and from the neighbouring villages; and surely God was in the midst of them, just as in our Bristol congregations at the beginning. Hence we rode, on Ash-Wednesday, FEBRUARY 4, to Mr. Hicks, who showed me the way to his church, at Wrestling worth; where I exhorted a large and serious congregation, from the Scripture appointed for the Epistle, to “rend their hearts, and not their garments, and turn unto the Lord their God.” In the evening Mr. Berridge read Prayers, and I preached, at Everton. Few of them are now affected as at first, the greater part having found peace with God. But there is a gradual increasing of the work in the souls of many believers. Thur. 5.--I called at Barford, half-way to Bedford, and was agreeably surprised to meet J. C., from London, who came to Bedford the day before, and walked over with Mr. Parker. We had a far larger congregation than I expected; and all were deeply serious. I preached at Bedford in the evening, on Friday at Sundon, and on Saturday returned to London. Monday, 9, and the following days, I visited the classes. Friday, 13, being the General Fast-day, the chapel in West Street, as well as the rest, was throughly filled with serious hearers. Surely God is well pleased with even these outward humiliations, as an acknowledgment that he is the Disposer of all events; and they give some check, if it be but for a time, to the floods of ungodliness. Besides, we cannot doubt but there are some good men in most of the congregations then assembled; and we know, “the effectual fervent prayer” even of one “righteous man availeth much.” This week I published, in the “London Chronicle,” an answer to a Tract entitled, “A Caveat against the Methodists.” It is here subjoined:-- “To the Editor of the London Chronicle. “SIR, February 19, 1761. “Is it not surprising that every person of understanding does not discern, at the very first view, that the Tract entitled, “A Caveat against the Methodists,’ is, in reality, a Caveat against the Protestants? Do not the arguments conclude, (if they conclude at all,) not against the Methodists only, but against the whole body of Protestants? The names, indeed, Feb. 1761.] JOURN AI. 4] of Mr. Whitefield and Mr.