Wesley Corpus

Here I met with the Life of Mahomet, wrote, I suppose, by the Count de Boulanvilliers. Whoever the authoris, he is a very pert, shallow, self-conceited coxcomb, remarkable for nothing but his immense assurance and thorough contempt of Christianity. And the book is a dull, ill-digested romance, supported by no authorities at all: 308 REv. J. wesLEY’s [Dec. 1767. Whereas Dean Prideaux (a writer of ten times his sense) cites his authorities for everything he advances. In the afternoon I rode to Dover; but the gentleman I was to lodge with was gone a long journey. He went to bed well, but was dead in the morning: Such a vapour is life! At six I preached; but the House would by no means contain the con gregation. Most of the officers of the garrison were there. I have not found so much life here for some years. After preach ing at Sandwich and Margate, and spending a comfortable day at Canterbury, on Saturday I returned to London. Mon. 30.--I took coach for Norwich, and in the evening came to Newmarket. Tuesday, DECEMBER 1. Being alone in the coach, I was considering several points of importance. And thus much appeared clear as the day: That a man may be saved, who cannot express himself properly concerning Imputed Righteousness. Therefore, to do this is not necessary to salvation: That a man may be saved, who has not clear conceptions of it. (Yea, that never heard the phrase.) Therefore, clear conceptions of it are not necessary to salvation: Yea, it is not necessary to salvation to use the phrase at all: That a pious Churchman who has not clear conceptions even of Justification by Faith may be saved. Therefore, clear conceptions even of this are not necessary to salvation: That a Mystic, who denies Justification by Faith, (Mr. Law, for instance,) may be saved. But if so, what becomes of articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiae P* If so, is it not high time for us Projicere ampullas et sesquipedalia verba; + and to return to the plain word, “He that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him?” Every evening this week I preached at Norwich, to a quiet, well-behaved congregation. Our friends, the mob, seem to have taken their leave; and so have triflers: All that remain seem to be deeply serious.