Wesley Corpus

Many flocked to see it, from various parts, as long as it stood open: But after some days, Mr. P (he 80 REv. J. wesley’s [July, 1776. knew not why) ordered it to be covered again; and he would never after suffer any to open it, but ploughed the field all over. This is far more difficult to account for, than the sub terraneous buildings at Herculaneum. History gives us an account of the time when, and the manner how, these were swallowed up. The burning mountain is still assured, and the successive lavas that flowed from it still distinguishable. But history gives no account of this, nor of any burning mountains in our island. Neither do we read of any such earthquake in England, as was capable of working that effect. Tues. 2.--I went to York. The House was full enough in the evening, while I pointed the true and the false way of expounding those important words, “Ye are saved through faith.” Wednesday, 3. I preached about noon at Tadcaster, with an uncommon degree of freedom; which was attended with a remarkable blessing. A glorious work is dawning here, against which nothing can prevail; unless the ball of contention be thrown in among the plain people, by one or two that have lately embraced new opinions. In the evening I preached at York, on the fashionable religion, vulgarly called morality; and showed at large, from the accounts given of it by its ablest patrons, that it is neither better nor worse than Atheism. Thur. 4.--I met the select society, and was a little surprised to find, that, instead of growing in grace, scarce two of them retained the grace they had two years ago. All of them seemed to be sincere; and yet a faintness of spirit ran through them all. In the evening I showed, to a still more crowded audience, the nature and necessity of Christian love:-Ayatom, vilely rendered charity, to confound poor English readers. The word was sharper than a two-edged sword, as many of the hearers felt. God grant the wound may not be healed, till he himself binds it up ! Fri. 5.--About eleven I preached at Foggathorp, a lone house, a few miles from Howden. Abundance of people were gathered together, notwithstanding heavy rain; and they received the truth in the love thereof.