Wesley Corpus

16.--I looked over the finest picture of atheistical religion that ever I saw, in the account that Captain Wilson gives of Thule, King of Pelew. But how utterly needless is either the knowledge [or the grace] of God, (consequently, how idle a book is the Bible,) if a man be all-accomplished, that has no more knowledge of God than a horse, and no more of his grace than a sparrow ! Tues. 20.--I retired in order to finish my year's accounts. If possible, I must be a better economist; for instead of having anything before hand, I am now considerably in debt; but this I do not like. I would fain settle even my accounts before I die. Sun. 25.--Much of the power of God was in the congrega tion, both morning and afternoon; as also on Monday evening; which gave me a good hope that God will carry on his own work. At the earnestimportunity of our friends, on Wednesday, 28, I went to open the new preaching-house at Rye. It is a noble building, much loftier than most of our Houses, and finely situated at the head of the town. It was throughly filled. Such a congregation I never saw at Rye before; and their beha viour was as remarkable as their number; which, added to the peaceable, loving spirit they are now in, gives reason to hope there will be such a work here as has not been heretofore. Feb. 1789.] JOURNAL. 445 Thur. 29.-I went over to Winchelsea; once a large, flourishing city; but ever since it was burnt by the Danes, a little, inconsiderable town, though finely situated on the top of a range of hills. The new preaching-house was well filled with decent, serious hearers, who seemed to receive the truth in the love of it. I returned to Rye in the afternoon; and in the evening preached to another large and serious congre gation. Friday, 30. We made our way through miserable roads to Sevenoaks, where the congregation, both evening and morning, was uncommonly large. So (whether I see them again or not) I cheerfully commended them to God, and the next morning returned to London. Sun. FEBRUARY 1.--We had an exceeding solemn season, both morning and evening. It seemed indeed as if the skies poured down righteousness on all that lifted up their hearts to God.