Wesley Corpus

In the evening I met the little society, just escaped with the skin of their teeth. From the account which each of these likewise gave, it appeared clear to a demonstration: 1. That their elders usurped a more absolute authority over the conscience, than the bishop of Rome himself does: 2. That to gain and secure this, they use a continued train of guile, fraud, and falsehood of every kind: 3. That they scrape their votaries to the bone as to their worldly substance, leaving little to any, to some nothing, or less than nothing: 4. That still they are so infatuated as to believe that theirs is the only true Church upon earth. Nov. 1753. | REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. | 565 Tues 16.--I preached on St. Peter’s Green at seven in the morniug, and at five in the evening. It is amazing that any congregation should be found here, considering what stumbling blocks have been thrown in their way. Above fourteen years ago, Mr. Rogers, then curate of St. Paul’s, preached the pure Gospel with general acceptance. A great awakening began and continually increased, till the poor weathercock turned Baptist; he then preached the absolute decrees with all his might ; but in a while the wind changed again, and he turned and sunk into the German whirlpool. How many souls has this unhappy man to answer for ! Fri. 19.--I returned to London. Saturday, 20.--I found myself out of order, but believed it would go off. On Sunday, 21, I was considerably worse, but could not think of sparing myself on that day. Mon. 22.--I rose extremely sick; yet I determined, if it were possible, to keep my word, and accordingly set out soon after four for Canterbury. At Welling, I was obliged to stop; after resting an hour, I was much better; but soon after I took horse my sickness returned, and accompanied me to Brompton, near Chatham. In the evening I preached to a serious congregation, and at five in the morning. We came to Canterbury about one, when I was presently seized with the cold fit of an ague. About twelve I fell fast asleep, and waked well at seven in the morning.