Wesley Corpus

Here, too, the word of God runs swiftly: many are convinced, and many converted to God. -, * July, 1770.] JOURNAL, 405 Wed. 11.--I rode to Doncaster, and preached at noon in the new House, one of the neatest in England. It was sufficiently crowded, and (what is more strange) with serious and attentive hearers. What was more unlikely, some years since, than that such an House or such a congregation should be seen here ! In the evening I preached at Finningley. The church was filled; but I fear few felt the word. Thur. 12.--I preached at Epworth. Friday, 13. We rode through heavy rain to Newton-upon-Trent. The weather clearing up, I preached before the House to an earnest congre gation. A people more loving, more artless, or more athirst for God, I have seldom seen. Taking horse about eleven, we rode, broiling in the sun, through Lincoln to Horncastle. Our brethren desiring me to preach in the market-place, I cried to an unbroken multitude, “What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” The power of God was upon them, and they all calmly attended, till I commended them to God. This was the first day that I have been weary (the violent heat drinking up my spirits) since I set out from London. Saturday, 14. In another sultry day we rode to Louth, formerly another den of lions. At first great part of the congregation seemed to “care for mone of these things.” But God made them care; the Lord looked down from heaven, and “his arrows went abroad.” I have seldom seen persons more sensibly struck. They gathered closer and closer together, till there was not one inattentive hearer, and hardly one unaffected. In riding hence the heat was as intense as ever; so that I was again tired before we reached Grimsby. But I soon recovered, and preached to a congregation of good old Methodists, on, Daniel in the Den of Lions. Sun. 15.--I preached at eight, and again at two, and then hastened away to Barrow. The people here much resembled those at Horncastle. So I would not take them out of their depth, but explained and enforced these solemn words, “It is appointed unto men once to die.” Monday, 16. At nine I preached in Awkborough, to a people of quite another kind.