Wesley Corpus

He was a sexton, and yet for many years had little troubled himself about religion. I set down his words, and leave every man to form his own judgment upon them:--“Sixteen weeks ago, I was walking, an hour before sunset, behind the high-kirk; and, looking on one side, I saw one close to me, who looked in my face, and asked me how I did. I answered, “Pretty well. He said, ‘You have had many troubles; but how have you improved them?” He then told me all that ever I did; yea, and the thoughts that had been in my heart; adding, ‘Be ready for my second coming:’ And he was gone I knew not how. I trembled all over, and had no strength in me; but sunk down to the ground. From that time I groaned continually under the load of sin, till at the Lord’s Supper it was all taken away.” Sun. 2.--I was sorry to find both the society and the congregations smaller than when I was here last. I impute this chiefly to the manner of preaching which has been generally used. The people have been told, frequently and strongly, of their coldness, deadness, heaviness, and littleness of faith, but very rarely of any thing that would move thank fulness. Hereby many were driven away, and those that remained were kept cold and dead. I encouraged them strongly at eight in the morning; and about noon preached upon the Castle-Hill, on, “There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” The sun shone exceeding hot upon my head; but all was well; for God was in the midst of us. In the evening I preached on Luke xx. 34, &c., and many were comforted; especially while I was enlarging 294 REv. J. wesLEY’s [Aug. 1767. on those deep words, “Neither can they die any more, but are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.” Mon. 3.--I visited as many as I could, sick and well, and endeavoured to confirm them. In the evening I preached at seven, and again at nine. We concluded about twelve. One then came to me with an unexpected message. A gentleman in the west of Scotland was a serious, sensible man, but violently attached both to the doctrine and discipline of the Kirk.