Wesley Corpus

Thur. 3.--I left London, and the next evening came to Oxford: where I spent the two following days, in looking over the letters which I had received for the sixteen or eighteen years last past. How few traces of inward religion are here! I found but one among all my correspondents who declared, (what I well remember, at that time I knew not how to understand,) that God had “ shed abroad his love in his heart,” and given him the “ peace that passeth all understanding.” But, who believed his report? Should I conceal a sad truth, or declare it for the profit of others? He was expelled out of his society, as a madman ; and being disowned by his friends, and despised and forsaken of all men, lived obscure and unknown for a few months, and then went to Him whom his soul loved. Mon. '7.--I left Oxford. In the evening I preached at Burford ; the next evening at Malmsbury: and on Wednesday, 9, I once more described the “ exceeding great and precious promises,”’ at Bristol. Sut. 12.--I explained the former part of Hebrews vi, and many were “renewed again to repentance.” Sunday, 13, while the sacrament was administering at the house of a person that was sick in Kingswood, a woman, who had been before much tempted of the devil, sunk down as dead. One could not perceive by any motion of her breast, that she breathed; and her pulse was hardly discernible. A strange sort of dissimulation this! I would wish those who think it so, only to stop their own breath one hour, and I will then subscribe to their opinion. Mon. 14.--I began expounding the Scriptures in order, at the new room, at six in the morning; by which means many more attend the college prayers (which immediately follow) than ever before. In the afternoon I preached at Downing, four miles from Bristol, on, “God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son :” And on Tuesday, 15, at Sison, five miles from Bristol, on “ the blood” which “ cleanseth us from all sin.” After preaching I visited a young man, dangerously ill, who a day or two after cried out aloud, “ Lord Jesus, thou knowest that I love thee! And I have thee, and will never let thee go :” and died immediately.