Wesley Corpus

out a blessing. Wednesday, 2. I preached at Whittlebury. Thursday, 3. I met with Peru's "Treatise upon the Gravel and Stone. " I had long supposed that there could not be in nature any such thing as a lithontriptic, amedicine that could dissolve the stone, without dissolving the bladder ; but I am now convinced ; there is no arguing against matter of fact ; the facts here alleged are too recent to be denied, and too clear to be evaded : Therefore I cannot but earnestly advise every one that has this dreadful distemper, to try without delay, if he can afford it, this sovereign remedy. Fri. 4.-I returned to London. Sunday, 6. I preached a funeral sermon for that great and good man, Mr. Fletcher ; and most of the congregation felt that Godwas in the midst of them . In the afternoon I buried the remains of Judith Perry, a lovely youngwoman, snatched away at eighteen ; but she was ripe for the Bridegroom, andwent to meet him in the full triumph of faith. Sunday, 13. I preached at Shoreditch church. The congregation was very numerous, and the collection unusually large. Mon. 14. This week I read over again, and carefully con- sidered, Mr. Fry's tract upon Marriage. I wonder it is not more known, as there is nothing on the head like it in the Eng- lish tongue. I still think he has proved to a demonstration, that no marriages are forbidden, either by the law of God or of England, but those of brothers and sisters, and those in the ascending and descending line. The contrary supposition seems to be built wholly in a misinterpretation of that expression in Lev. xviii. , " Thou shalt not uncover her nakedness." But this, he clearly shows, does not mean to marry awoman, but to deflower her. Sun. 20. I preached in Bethnal-Green church, and spoke as plain as I possibly could, on " having a form ofgodliness, but denying the power thereof." And this I judged to be far more suitable to such a congregation, than talking of justification by faith. 324 REV. J. WESLEY'S [Dec.1785. Having promised our friends at Winchester to come and open their preaching-house when it was ready, I set out on Thursday, 24, and preached there in the evening to a numerous congre-