Wesley Corpus

* Your very loving, and (I hope) obedient child, “* September 7, 1756. J. B.” In answer to a letter wherein I desired some account of her expert ence, she wrote as follows :-- “‘ How does it add to the glory of the Almighty Saviour, that from my very infancy, this rebel heart has felt the drawings of his love! Therefore, since you desire to know how I was first convinced that I was a poor, guilty sinner, I must begin with saying, that goodness and mercy have followed me all my days. But I know not how to proceed; the workings of sin and grace that I have felt are beyond description. Yet out of the mouth of babes and sucklings the Lord can perfect praise. ““My childhood was spent in much simplicity and peace. The Lord drew me to himself with the cords of love, and I found great joy in pouring out my soul before him. Original sin I was quite ignorant of; but actual sins I felt and bewailed; and after some time spent in weeping for them, I felt peace, and renewed my resolutions: but they could not last long; for, pride, envy, and all manner of evil, now sprung up in my heart ae May, 1757. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 629 Yet at times I had strong convictions, and often resolved to be very serious when I was older. “So I went on from eight or ten years old till seventeen; then I was indeed as bad as bad could be; desired nothing but to be admired, and was filled with all that foolish vanity, which poor young women are most prone to. Christmas, 1750, I was advised to partake of the Lord’s Supper. I knew it was right, but was couscious of my ignorance and unfitness for it. However, I endeavoured to prepare myself, and was pretty well satisfied, after I had made a formal confession of my sins, and shed some tears for them.