Wesley Corpus

Monday, 2. I preached at Scotter about eight; at Brigg, at noon; and in the evening, in the old church-yard, at Grimsby, to almost all the people of the town, on, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” The late proof of it is in the glorious death of Robert Wilkinson; and the behaviour of his widow, So firm, yet soft, so strong, yet so resign'd, I believe, will hardly be forgotten by any that were witnesses of it. Tues. 3.-I preached at Claythorp, three miles from Grimsby. Here, likewise, there has been an outpouring of the Spirit. I was reminded here of what I saw at Cardiff, almost forty years ago. I could not go into any of the little houses, but presently it was filled with people; and I was constrained to pray with them in every house, or they would not be satisfied. Several of these are clearly renewed in love, and give a plain, scriptural account of their experience; and 210 Rev. J. Wesley’s [July, 1781. there is scarce a house in the village, wherein there is not one or more earnestly athirst for salvation. Wed. 4.--I called upon an honest man, and, I hope, took him out of the hands of an egregious quack; who was pouring in medicines upon him, for what he called “wind in the nerves l’” In the evening I preached at Louth, now as quiet as Grimsby. When shall we learn “to despair of none?” Thur. 5.--I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Brackenbury again, though still exceeding weak. His chapel was thoroughly filled in the evening; I trust, with sincere hearers. Fri. 6.--I crossed over to Langham-Row; where the high wind would not suffer me to preach abroad. But the House tolerably contained the congregation; most of whom attended again at five in the morning. To-day I finished the second volume of Dr. Robertson's “History of America.” His language is always clear and strong, and frequently elegant; and I suppose his history is preferable to any history of America which has appeared in the English tongue. But I cannot admire, First, His intolerable prolixity in this history, as well as his “History of Charles the Fifth.” He promises eight books of the History of America, and fills four of them with critical dissertations.