Wesley Corpus

I heard of a young woman in that country who had uncommon fits, arid of one that had lately preached; but I did not know that it was one and the same person. I found her in the very house to which I went, and went and talked with her at large. I was sur prised. Sarah Mallet, two or three and twenty years old, is of the same size that Jane Cooper was; and is, I think, full as much devoted to God, and of as strong an understanding. But she is not likely to live; having a species of consumption which I believe is never cured. Of the following relation, which she gave me, there are numberless witnesses:- Some years since it was strongly impressed upon her, that she ought to call sinners to repentance. This impression she vehemently resisted, believing herself quite unqualified, both by her sin, and her ignorance, till it was suggested, “If you do it not willingly, you shall do it whether you will or no.” She fell into a fit; and while utterly senseless, thought she was in the preaching-house in Lowestoft, where she prayed and preached for near an hour, to a numerous congregation. She then opened her eyes, and recovered her senses. In a year or two she had eighteen of these fits; in every one of which she imagined herself to be preaching in one or another congrega tion. She then cried out, “Lord, I will obey thee; I will call sinners to repentance.” She has done so occasionally from that time; and her fits returned no more. I preached at one to as many as the House could contain, of people that seemed ready prepared for the Lord. In the evening the hearts of the whole congregation at Norwich seemed to be bowed as the heart of one man. I scarce ever saw them so moved. Surely God will revive his work in this place, and we shall not always find it so cold and comfortless as it has long been. Tues. 5.--In the afternoon I took coach again, and returned to London at eight on Wednesday morning. All the time I could save to the end of the week I spent in transcribing the society; a dull, but necessary, work, which I have taken upon myself once a year for near these fifty years. Wed.