Wesley Corpus

Sun. 14.--The minds of many people being deeply affected with a prospect of public calamities, I explained those comfortable words in the First lesson, Isaiah xxvi, 20, ‘Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.” Tues. 16.--I set out for Lewisham ; appointing one to meet me with my horse at the stones end. But he mistook his way, and so left me to walk on, in my boots and great coat. When I came within a quarter of a mile of Lewisham bridge, a coach drove swiftly by me. I wondered why the coachman stopped, till he called, and desired me to come up to him. The reason then appeared,--the low grounds were quite covered with water, so that I could not have attempted to reach the bridge, without hazarding my life. 594 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Jan. 1756. Tues. 23.--I was in the robe chamber, adjoining to the house of lords, when the king put on his robes. His brow was much furrowed with age, and quite clouded with care. And is this ail the world can give even toa king? All the grandeur it can afford? A blanket of ermine round his shoulders, so heavy and cumbersome he can scarce move under it! A huge heap of borrowed hair, with a few plates of gold and glittering stones upon his head! Alas, what a bauble is human greatness! And even this will not endure. Cover the head with ever so much hair and gold ; yet, --Scit te Proserpina canum ; Personam capiti detrahet illa tuo. (Death will deprive thee of thy borrowed hair.) [Literally :--‘ Proserpine knows thee to be hoary ; she will tear the mask from thy head.’*] January, 1, 1756.--We had a large congregation at four in the morning. How much are men divided in their expectations concerning the ensuing year! Will it bring a large harvest of temporal calamities, or of spiritual blessings ? Perhaps of both; of temporal afflictions preparatory to spiritual blessings. Mon. 5.--This week I wrote “ An Address to the Clergy ;” which, considering the state of public affairs, I judged would be more seasonable, and more easily borne, at this time than at any other. Wed. 14.--Mr. Walsh wrote to me as follows :--