Wesley Corpus

Since that time, how deeply have we grieved the Holy Spirit of God! Yet two or three have lately received his pure love; and a few more are brought to the birth. Thur. JANUARY 1, 1767.--The whole society met in the evening in Spitalfields church, and solemnly renewed their covenant with God. Sunday, 4. Iburied the remains of Mary Clarke, (formerly Gardiner,) who, having been much hurt in the late contests, was, during a lingering illness, first throughly convinced of her fall from God, and afterward throughly restored. She then vehemently exhorted all mot to stray from the fold; and died rejoicing in the full salvation of God. Sun. 11.--I made a push for the lending-stock; speaking more strongly than ever I had done before. The effect was, Feb. 1767.] JOURNAL. 271 that it was raised from about fifty, to one hundred and twenty pounds. Tues. 20.--I buried the remains of Ann Wheeler, who, while she was hearing the preaching in Moorfields, four or five and twenty years ago, was struck in the forehead with a stone, being then big with child. The daughter with whom she then went, retains the mark of the stone in her forehead to this day. Wed. 21.--I had a conversation with an ingenious man who proved to a demonstration, that it was the duty of every man that could, to be “clothed in purple and fine linen,” and to “fare sumptuously every day;” and that he would do abundantly more good hereby than he could do by “feeding the hungry and clothing the naked.” O the depth of human understanding ! What may not a man believe if he will ? Sat. 31.--From the words of our blessed Lord, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,” I largely showed that God never deserts any man, unless he first deserts God; and that, abstracting from the bodily disorders on the one hand, and violent temptation on the other, every believer may be happy as well as holy, and walk in the light all the days of his life. Thur. FEBRUARY 5.--I heard a melancholy relation:-- One who had run well for many years, a year or two ago took violent offence at a person she thought had used her ill. A week or two since she was taken ill. But as her illness increased, so did her anger.