Wesley Corpus

filled in the evening. As many of the better sort (so called) were there, I explained, (what seemed to be more adapted to their circumstances and experience,) " This only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have found out many inventions." Thur. 6.-In going to Ilston we were again entangled in miserable roads. We got thither, however, about eleven. Though the church is large, it was sufficiently crowded. The Vicar read Prayers with great earnestness and propriety : I preached on, "Herways are ways ofpleasantness;" and the people seemed all ear. Surely good will be done in this place; though it is strongly opposed both by the Calvinists and Socinians. We went on in a lovely afternoon, and through a lovely country, to Nottingham. I preached to a numerous and well- behaved congregation. I love this people: There is something wonderfully pleasing, both in their spirit and their behaviour. Fri. 7.-The congregation at five was very large, and con- vinced me of the earnestness of the people. They are greatly increased in wealth and grace, and continue increasing daily. Saturday, 8. I walked through the General Hospital. I never saw one so well ordered. Neatness, decency, and common sense, shine through the whole, I do not wonder that many of the patients recover. I prayed with two of them. One of them, a notorious sinner, seemed to be cut to the heart. The case of the other was quite peculiar: Both her breasts have been cut off, andmany pins taken out of them, as well as out of her flesh in various parts. " Twelve," the Apothecary said, " were taken out of her yesterday, and five more to-day." And the Physi- cians potently believe, she swallowed them all; though nobody can tell when or how ! Which is the greater credulity ? To believe this is purely natural ? Or to ascribe it to preternatural agency? In the evening many felt The' o'erwhelming power of saving grace ; 342 REV. J. WESLEY'S [July, 1786. andmanymore on Sunday, 9, when we had the largest num- ber of communicants that ever were seen at this chapel, or per- haps at any church in Nottingham. I took a solemn leave of this affectionate congregation, at five in the morning, Monday, 10, not expecting to meet another such (unless at Birmingham) till I came to London,