Wesley Corpus

15.--I preached at Doncaster, in one of the most elegant Houses in England, and to one of the most elegant congregations. They seemed greatly astonished; and well they might; for I scarce ever spoke so strongly on, “Strait is the gate, and marrow is the way, that leadeth unto life.” Tuesday, 16. At Sheffield I talked at large with one whose case is very peculiar. She never loses a sense of the love of God; and yet is continually harassed by the devil, and con strained to utter words which her soul abhors; while her body feels as if it was in a burning flame. For this her father turned her cut of doors; and she had no money, nor any friend to take her in. To cut her off from every human comfort, our wise Assistant turned her out of society. Yet in all this she murmured not, neither “charged God foolishly.” 82 Rev. J. wesley’s [Aug. 1776. Wed. 17.--Having been desired, by one of Chesterfield, to give them a sermon in the way, I called there; but he did not come to own me. So, after resting awhile at another house, I stood at a small distance from the main street, and proclaimed salvation by faith to a serious congregation. After preaching at a few other places, on Thursday, 18, I preached at Notting ham; and, having no time to lose, took chaise at noon, and the next evening, Friday, 19, met the Committee at the Foundery. Wed. 24.--I read Mr. Jenyns's admired tract, on the “Internal Evidence of the Christian Religion.” He is un doubtedly a fine writer; but whether he is a Christian, Deist, or Atheist, I cannot tell. If he is a Christian, he betrays his own cause by averring, that “all Scripture is not given by inspiration of God; but the writers of it were sometimes left to themselves, and consequently made some mistakes.” Nay, if there be any mistakes in the Bible, there may as well be a thousand. If there be one falsehood in that book, it did not come from the God of truth. Sun. 28.--Perceiving the immense hurt which it had done, I spoke more strongly than ever I had done before, on the sin and danger of indulging “itching ears.” I trust, here at least, that plague will be stayed. Fri.