Wesley Corpus

Mon. 8.--I set out once more for the north. At noon I preached at the Cioss, in Morpeth; in the evening at Alnwick: where many now began to fear God, and tremble at his word. Tues. 9.--I preached about noon at Tuggle; and between six and seven in the evening at Berwick. More of the gentry were there than ever before; and I think but three went away. Wednesday, 10.--The congregation was nearly doubled, and the word seemed to sink into their hearts. It was with great difficulty that I afterward met the society; so many crowded after me, (though without the least incivility,) and knew not how to go away. Thur. 11.--Abundance of them were with us in the morning. We took horse as soon as we could after preaching, and before twelve eached Alemouth, where all the publicans and sinners drew near to Aug. 1748.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 433 hear: nay, and all the gentry ; the chief of whom invited us to dinner, where we spent two hours in agreeable and useful conversation. In the evening I preached to the earnest congregation at Widdrington. There is always a blessing among this people. Fri. 12.--In riding to Newcastle, I finished the tenth Iliad of Homer. What an amazing genius had this man! To write with such strength of thought, and beauty of expression, when he had none to go before him! And what a vein of piety runs through his whole work, in spite of his pagan prejudices! Yet one cannot but observe such improprieties intermixed, as are shocking to the last degree. What excuse can any man of common sense make for His scolding heroes, and his wounded gods ? Nay, does he not introduce even his “ Father of gods and men,” one while shaking heaven with his nod, and soon after using his sister and wife, the empress of heaven, with such language as a carman might be ashamed of? And what can be said for a king, full of days and wisdom, telling Achilles how often he had given him wine, when he was a child and sat in his lap, till he had vomited it up on his clothes? Are these some of those “ divine boldnesses which naturally provoke short-sightedness and ignorance to show themselves ?””