Wesley Corpus

Sat. 20.--I returned to Bristol. I have seen no part of England so pleasant for sixty or seventy miles together, as those parts of Wales I have been in. And most of the inhabitants are indeed ripe for the Gospel. I mean (if the expression appear strange) they are earnestly desirous of being instructed in it; and as utterly ignorant of it they are, as any Creek or Cherokee Indians. I do not mean they are ignorant of the name of Christ. Many of them can say both the Lord’s Prayer and the Belief. Nay and some, all the Catechism : but take them out of the road of what they have learned by rote, and they know no more (nine in ten of those with whom I conversed) either of Gospel salvation, or of that faith whereby alone we can be saved, than Chicali or Tomo Chachi. Now, what spirit is he of, who had rather these poor creatures should perish for lack of knowledge, than that they should be saved, even by the exhortations of Howell Harris, or an itmerant preacher ¢ Finding a slackness creeping in among them who had begun to run well, on Sunday, 21, both in the morning and afternoon, I enforced those words, “‘ As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ve Oct. 1739.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 161 in him.” In the evening I endeavoured to quicken them further, by describing pure and undefiled religion: and the next day, to encourage them in pursuing it, by enforcing those words of our blessed Master, ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Tues. 23.--In riding to Bradford, I read over Mr. Law’s book on the New Birth: philosophical, speculative, precarious ; behmenish, void, and vain ! O what a fall is there!