Wesley Corpus

But what a change | No opposer, nor any trifler now ! Every one heard as for life, while I explained and applied, “Why will ye die, O house of Israel?” In the evening I preached in the little Square adjoining to the preaching-house at Chester. There were many wild, rude 190 REv. J. wesLEY’s [July, 1764. people, but they were quite out-numbered by those who were civil and attentive; and I believe some impression was Imade on the wildest. What can shake Satan’s kingdom like field-preaching? Wed. 18.--I should have been glad of a day of rest; but notice had been given of my preaching at noon near Tatten-Hall. The rain began almost as soon as we came in: So I could not preach abroad as I designed, but in a large commodious barn, where all that were present seemed to receive the word of God with joy and reverence. The congregation at Chester, in the evening, was more numerous and far more serious than the day before. There wants only a little more field-preaching here, and Chester would be as quiet as London. Thur. 19.--After preaching at Little-Leigh, I rode on to Macclesfield. Here I heard an agreeable account of Mrs. R--, who was in the society at London from a child; but after she was married to a rich man, durst not own a poor, despised people. Last year she broke through, and came to see me. A few words which I then spoke never left her, not even in the trying hour, during the illness which came a few months after. All her conversation was then in heaven; till, feeling her strength was quite exhausted, she said, with a smile, “Death, thou art welcome!” and resigned her spirit. I preached about seven to an huge multitude of attentive hearers. Friday, 20. At noon we made the same shift at Congleton as when I was here last. I stood in the window, having put as many women as it would contain into the House. The rest, with the men, stood below in the meadow, and many of the townsmen, wild enough. I have scarce found such enlargement of heart since I came from Newcastle. The brutes resisted long, but were at length overcome; not above five or six excepted. Surely man shall not long have the upper hand: God will get unto himself the victory.