Wesley Corpus

"Sally coming in, he cried out: "O Sally, God is love! Shout, both of you. I want to hear you shout his praise.' All this time, the medical friend, who diligently attended him hoped he was in no danger; as he had no bad head-ache, much sleep, without the least delirium, and an almost regular pulse. So was the disease, though commissioned to take his life, restrained by the power of God! "On Thursday his speech began to fail. While he was able, he spoke to all that came in his way. Hearing a stranger was in the house, he ordered her to be called up, though uttering two sentences almost made him faint. To his friendly doctor he would not be silent while he had any power of speech; saying, `O Sir, you take much thought for my body; give me leave to take thought for your soul.' When I could scarce understand anything he said, I spoke these words, `God is love.' Instantly, as if all his powers were awakened, he broke out in a rapture, `God is love! love! love! O for that gust of praise I want to sound!' -- Here his voice again failed. He suffered many ways, but with such patience as none but those then present can conceive. If I named his sufferings, he would smile, and make the sign. "On Friday, finding his body covered with spots, I felt a sword pierce through my soul. As I was kneeling by his side, with my hand in his, entreating the Lord to be with us in this tremendous hour, he strove to say many things, but could not; pressing my hand, and often repeating the sign. At last he breathed out, `Head of the Church, be Head to my wife!' When, for a few moments, I was forced to leave him, Sally said to him, `My dear master, do you know me' He replied, `Sally, God will put his right hand under you.' She added, `O my dear master, should you be taken away, what a disconsolate creature will my poor dear mistress be!' He replied, `God will be her all in all.' He had always delighted much in these words, -- Jesu's blood, through earth and skies, Mercy, free, boundless mercy! cries. Whenever I repeated them to him he would answer, "Boundless! boundless! boundless!' He now added, though with great difficulty,