Wesley Corpus

He was certainly as great a genius, in his way, as any that ever lived. He did great things, and designed far greater; but death prevented the execution. And he had many excellent qualities; but was full as far from being a Christian, as Henry VIII., or Oliver Cromwell. Wed. 21.--We had our Quarterly Meeting at London; at which I was surprised to find, that our income does not yet answer our expense. We were again near two hundred pounds bad. My private account I find still worse. I have laboured as much as many writers; and all my labour has gained me, in seventy years, a debt of five or six hundred pounds. Sunday, 25, was a day of strong consolation, particularly at Spitalfields. At five I preached in Moorfields, to (it was supposed) the largest congregation that ever assembled there. But my voice was so strengthened, that those who were farthest off could hear perfectly well. So the season for field-preaching is not yet over. It cannot, while so many are in their sins and in their blood. 504 REv. J. wesley’s [Aug. 1773. Tues. AUGUST 3.--Our Conference began. I preached mornings as well as evenings; and it was all one. I found myself just as strong as if I had preached but once a day. Sun. 8.--At night I set out in the machine, and on Monday reached Bristol. In the way I looked over Mr. ’s Dissertations. I was surprised to find him a thorough convert of Mr. Stonehouse's, both as to the pre existence of souls, and the non-eternity of hell. But he is far more merciful than Mr. Stonehouse. He allows it to last (not five millions, but) only thirty thousand years | It would be excusable, if these menders of the Bible would offer their hypotheses modestly. But one cannot excuse them when they not only obtrude their novel scheme with the utmost confidence, but even ridicule that scriptural one which always was, and is now, held by men of the greatest learning and piety in the world. Hereby they promote the cause of infidelity more effectually than either Hume or Voltaire. Thur. 12.--I set out for Cornwall; and the next day we came to Collumpton. For five or six days, I think, the weather has been as hot as it is in Georgia.