Wesley Corpus

Thur. 26.--The remains of Elizabeth Man being brought to the room, I preached on, “ Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” How plain an instance is here of grace so changing the heart, as to jeave no trace of the natural temper! I remember her fretful, peevish, murmuring, discontented with every thing. But for more than a year before she died, God laid the axe to the root of the tree; all her peevishness and fretfulness were gone ; she was always content, always thankful. She was not only constaut in prayer, and in all the ordinances of God, but abundant in praise and thanksgiving. Often her soul ae Jan. 1753. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 545 was so filled with love and praise, that her body was quite overpowered. On Sunday morning she said, “I am struck with death.” Her pains were violent all the day ; but they interrupted not her prayer and praise, and exhortation to those about her; till, about three in the morning, having finished her work, she was set at liberty. Sunday, 29, was a useful day to my soul. I found more than once trouble and heaviness ; but I called upon the name of:the Lord; and he gave ine a clear, full approbation of his way, and a calm, thankful - acquiescence in his will. I cannot but stand amazed at the goodness of God. Others are most assaulted on the weak side of their soul ; but with me it is quite otherwise : if I have any strength at all, (and I have none but what I have recewed,) it is in forgiving injuries : and on this very side am I assaulted, more frequently than on any other. Yet leave me not here one hour to myself, or I shall betray myself and Thee! Mon. 30.--I rode to Salisbury, and in the two following days examined severally the members of the society; and on Thursday left them determined to stand in the good old way, in all the ordinances and commandments of God. In the evening I endeavoured to reunite the little scattered flock at Winterburn. Fri. November 3.--I rode to Reading; and on Saturday, to London. Mon. 6.--A remarkable note was given me in the evening: it ran in these words :--