Wesley Corpus

After supper she said to him, ‘Let us go into the chamber: And when they were come in, he saw a bed made ready; and he sat upon it, and said, ‘Make fast the door.” She made it fast, and came to him. Having taken hold of her, so that she could not run away, he took off his cap, and said to her, weeping, ‘My child, Mary, dost thou not know me? Am not I he that brought thee up? Mary, what is come to thee? Who hath destroyed thee, my daughter? Where are thy prayers and thy tears, thy watching and holy exercise? My child, when thou hadst sinned, why didst thou not tell me, that I might have humbled myself for thee? My daughter, why hast thou done this? Why hast thou forsaken thy May, 1761.] JOURNAL. 59 father?” She remained in his hands as a lifeless stone, till he said to her with tears, ‘Dost thou not speak to me, my child, Mary? Dost thou not speak to me? Am I not come hither for thy sake? I have besought the Lord concerning thee.’ Till midnight he continued exhorting and comforting her. Then, coming a little to herself, she said to him weeping, “I cannot look at thee, for I am defiled with sin.” The blessed man replied, “On me be thy sin; only come, let us go to our place.” She said to him, “If it be possible for me to repent, and if God can accept my repentance, I come, and I fall down, and kiss thy steps, wetting them with my tears, that thou hast thus had compassion on me, a forlorn wretch, and art come hither to draw me out of the mire of sin.” And laying her head at his feet, she wept bitterly all the night; saying, ‘What shall I render thee for all thy benefits?’ “Early in the morning he set her upon the horse, and went before her with great joy. And being come to his place, he put her in the inner cell; where she gladly resumed her former exercise, with sackcloth and ashes, and much humiliation, with mourning and watching, and ceaseless calling upon God: And the merciful Lord gave her a sign that he accepted her repent ance, healing many that were sick, through her prayers.