Wesley Corpus

Here I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fletcher, and we took sweet counsel together. Tuesday, 22. At five I explained that important truth, that God trieth us every moment, weighs all our thoughts, words, and actions, and is pleased or displeased with us, according to our works. I see more and more clearly, that “there is a great gulf fixed” between us and all those who, by denying this, sap the very foundation both of inward and outward holiness. At ten I preached at Dudley, and in the afternoon spent some time in viewing Mr. Bolton’s works, wonderfully ingeni ous, but the greater part of them wonderfully useless. Wed nesday, 23. I preached at Ashby-de-la-Zouch; and Thursday, 24, went on to Markfield. The church was quickly filled. I preached on those words in the Second Lesson, “Lazarus, come forth !” In the evening I preached at Leicester. Here, likewise, the people “walk in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.” Sun. 27.--About noon I preached at Stapleford, six miles west from Nottingham. I stood in a meadow, because no house could contain the congregation. But it was nothing to that at Nottingham-Cross in the evening, the largest I have seen for many years, except at Gwennap. Monday, 28. About noon I preached at Donnington. It was a showery day, but the showers were suspended during the preaching. In the evening I preached at Derby, and had the satisfaction to observe an unusual seriousness in the congregation. Care Hess as they used to be, they seemed at length to know the day of their visitation. , Tues. 29.--About ten I preached in the market-place at 10 REv. J. WESLEY’s [April, 1774. Ashbourne to a large and tolerably serious congregation; and some, I believe, felt the word of God quick and powerful, while I enforced, “God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” After dinner we went on to Newcastle-under-Lyne, (that is the proper name of the river,) where I was invited by the Mayor, a serious, sensible man, to lodge at his house. I was desired (our Room being but small) to preach in the market-place. Abundance of people were soon gathered toge ther, who surprised me not a little, by mistaking the tune, and striking up the March in Judas Maccabeus. Many of them had admirable voices, and tolerable skill.