Wesley Corpus

Most of our brethren and sisters were now fully convinced, that those who were under this strange temptation could not help it. Only E--th B and Anne H. n were of another mind ; being still sure, any one might help laughing if she would. This they declared to many on Thursday; but on Friday, 23, God suffered Satan to teach them better. Both of them were suddenly seized in the same manner as the rest, and laughed whether they would or no, almost without ceasing. Thus they continued for two days, a spectacle to all; and were then, upon prayer made for them, delivered in a moment. Mon. 26.--S----a Ha. g, after she had calmly rejoiced several days, in the midst of violent pain, found at once a return of ease, and health, and strength ; and arose and went to her common business. Sun. June 1.--I explained “ the rest which remaineth for the people of God,” in the morning at Kingswood school, and in the evening at Rose Green, to six or seven thousand people. I afterward exhorted our society, (the time being come that I was to leave them for a season,) to “ pray always,” that they might not faint in their minds, though they were “ wrestling not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places.” Mon. 2.--I left Bristol, and rode by Avon and Malmsbury (where I preached in the evening) to Oxford. Two or three even here had not yet been persuaded to cast away their confidence : one of whom was still full of her first love, which she had received at the Lord’s table. Thur. 5.--I came to London; where, finding a general temptation prevail, of leaving off good works, in order to an increase of faith, I began on Friday, 6. to expound the Epistle of St. James, the great ee ee FOS oe tN es _ antidote against this poison. I then went to Mr. S ~ June, 1740. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 185