Wesley Corpus

We purposed to return to Portsmouth, (about twenty miles,) it being a calm sun shiny morning, in the wherry; but a friend offering us a kind of hoy, we willingly accepted his offer. It was well he did ; for as soon as we were out of the harbour, the wind rose, and the sea raged horribly. The wherry would soon have been swallowed up. The waves washed over us on both sides. Having no decks, we were well soaked from head to foot; but, before noon, we got safe to Portsmouth. Sat. 2.-Setting out, as usual, at two, we came to Cobham between ten and eleven ; and found a party of our friends from London ready to receive us. We walked an hour in the gardens; but the innkeeper informed us, strangers were not admitted, unless on Tuesday and Friday. However, hearing Mr. Hopkins was at home, I sent in my name, and desired that favour; which was immediately granted. We spent an hour very agreeably in those lovely walks; but still the eye was not satisfied with seeing. An immortal spirit can be satisfied with nothing but seeing God. In the afternoon we went on to London. Sunday, 3, was indeed a comfortable day. I preached at the new chapel, morning and evening, with great enlargement of spirit. At the love-feast which followed, great was our rejoicing; many declared what God had done for their souls; and many were filled with consolation. Having answered my letters, and finished my other little business for the present, on Tuesday, 5, I went to Rye. Though the warning was short, the congregation was exceeding 496 REv. J. WESLEY’s [Oct. 1790. large, and behaved with remarkable seriousness. While our people mixed with the Calvinists here, we were always perplexed, and gained no ground; but since they kept to themselves, they have continually increased in grace as well as in number. I was now informed how signally God had overtaken that wretch who murdered Mr. Haddock some years since. Being lately overtaken by Captain Bray in one of the King's cutters, he made a desperate resistance; and even when boarded, fought still, and drew a pistol at Captain Bray; who then hewed him in pieces with his cutlass. Thur. 7.--I went over to that poor skeleton of ancient Winchelsea.