Wesley Corpus

Thur. 3.--I took my leave of this uncomfortable place, and set out for Bristol. But the heavy rains, together with the melting snow, had made the lower parts of the road scarce passable. However, we made a shift to reach Philip’s Norton that night, and Bristol the next day. We found fresh proof every day, that God had brought us hither, both to give and to receive a blessing. Mon. 14.--We had a glorious hour, with a few that know the Lord. We then rode to Bearfield, where I preached at noon, with a deep sense of his presence. Some who were laughing when I began, hid their faces soon, being ashamed to be seen in tears. We rode on in the afternoon, and came the next evening, throughly weary and wet, to Reading. Wed. 16.--I preached at Datchet at noon, and at London in the evening. Mon. 21.--I went to Newington. Here, in the intervals of writing, I read the deaths of some, of the Order de la Trappe. I am amazed at tne allowance which God makes for invincible ignorance. Notwithstanding the mix- .ture of superstition, which appears in every one of these, yet what a strong vein of piety runs through all! What deep experience of the inward work of God; of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Hcy Ghost! Being not convinced, that J bad yet delivered my own soul, with regard to that unhappy man, on Tuesday, 22, I wrote once more to Mr. H. as follows :-- London, Dec. 22, 1747. “ Dear Brotuer,--l. When you was at Oxford with me, fourteen or fifteen vears ago, you was holy and unblamable in all manner of conver 412 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ Dec. 1747, sation. I greatly rejoiced in the grace of God which was given unto you, which was often a blessing to my own soul. Yet even then you had frequently starts of thought which were not of God, though they at first appeared so to be. But you was humble and teachable ; ; you was easily convinced, and those imaginations vanished away.