Wesley Corpus

ix. 13, 14, “If the blood of bulls,” &c. At both times we had a brilliant congregation, among whom were Honour able and Right Honourable persons: But I felt they were all given into my hands; for God was in the midst. What a mercy it is, what a marvellous condescension in God, to provide such places as Bethesda, and Lady Huntingdon’s chapels, for these delicate hearers, who could not bear sound doctrine if it were not set off with these pretty trifles | APRIL 12.--(Being Easter-Day.) We had a solemn assembly indeed; many hundred communicants in the morning; and in the afternoon far more hearers than our Room would contain; though it is now considerably enlarged. Afterwards I met the society, and explained to them at large the original design of the Methodists, viz., not to be a distinct party, but to stir up all parties, Christians or Heathens, to worship God in spirit and in truth; but the Church of England in particular; to which they belonged from the beginning. With this view, I have uniformly gone on for fifty years, never varying from the doctrine of the Church at all; nor from her discipline, of choice, but of necessity : So, in a course of years, necessity was laid upon me, (as I have proved elsewhere,) 1. To preach in the open air. 2. To pray extempore. 3. To form societies. 4. To accept of the assistance of Lay Preachers: And, in a few other instances, to use such means as occurred, to prevent or remove evils that we either felt or feared. We set out early on Monday, 13, and about twelve reached Clonard; five-and-twenty Irish miles from Dublin. Three or four times as many as the house could contain met together at five o'clock. The power of God was remarkably present; April, 1789.] JOURNAL. 451 when divers were cut to the heart; and perhaps mone more so than the master of the house. We had another good opportunity at seven in the morning, Tuesday, 14, which we closed with a serious, pointed conversation, and then went on to Tyrrel’s Pass.