Wesley Corpus

Wed. 20.--I preached at Luton; the next evening, at Hertford; and on Friday morning, returned to London. This day we observed as a day of fasting and prayer, and were much persuaded God will yet be entreated. Thur. 21.--I revised a volume of Latin Poems, wrote by a gentleman of Denmark. I was surprised. Most of the verses are not unworthy of the Augustan age. Among the rest, there is a translation of two of Mr. Pope’s Epistles, line for line. And yet, in language, not only as pure as Virgil’s, but as elegant too. Tues. JANUARY 2, 1776.-Being pressed to pay a visit to our brethren at Bristol, some of whom had been a little un settled by the patriots, so called, I set out early; but the roads were so heavy, that I could not get thither till night. I came just time enough, not to see, but to bury, poor Mr. Hall, my brother-in-law, who died on Wednesday morning; I trust, in peace; for God had given him deep repentance. Such another monument of divine mercy, considering how low he had fallen, and from what height of holiness, I have not seen, no, not in seventy years l I had designed to visit him in the morning; but he did not stay for my coming. It is enough, if, after all his wanderings, we meet again in Abraham's bosom. JANUARY 1, 1776.--About eighteen hundred of us met together in London, in order to renew our covenant with God; and it was, as usual, a very solemn opportunity. Tues. 2.-I set out for Bristol. Between London and Bristol, I read over that elegant trifle, “The Correspondence between Theodosius and Constantia.” I observed only one sentiment which I could not receive, that “youth is the only possible time for friendship; because every one has at first a natural store of sincerity and benevolence; but as in process of time men find every one to be false and self-interested, they conform to them more and more, till, in riper years, they have neither truth nor benevolence left.” Perhaps it may be so with all that know not God; but they that do, escape “the corruption that is in the world;” and increase both in sincerity and in benevolence, as they grow in the knowledge of Christ. Sat.