Wesley Corpus

From this time he walked cheerfully, as well as valiantly, in the ways of God. He closely followed his Master, denying himself, and taking up his cross daily. And, thinking he had not leisure in the day for the great work which h had in hand, he made it an invariable rule to sit up two whol nights in a week. These he dedicated to reading, meditation, and prayer, in order to enter more deeply into that com munion with the Father and the Son which was the delight of his soul. Meantime, he lived entirely on vegetable food, and for some time on bread, with milk and water. None can doubt, if these austerities were well intended: But it scems LIFE OF MR. FLETC in ER. 287 they were not well judged. It is probable, they gave the first wound to an excellent constitution, and laid the foundation of many infirmities, which nothing but death could cure. l. IT was not long after he had himself “tasted the powers of the world to come,” that he was pressed in spirit to exhort others to seek after the same blessing. And he was the more strongly excited to this, by seeing the world all around him “lying in wickedness.” Being deeply sensible of the goodness of God on the one hand, and the misery of man kind on the other, he found an earnest longing To pluck poor brands out of the fire, To snatch them from the verge of hell. This he began to do a considerable time before he was admitted into Holy Orders. And even his first labours of love were far from being in vain. For though he was by no means perfect in the English tongue, particularly with regard to the pronunciation of it; yet the earnestness with which he spoke, (seldom to be found in English Preachers,) and the unspeakably tender affection to poor, undone sinners, which breathed in every word and gesture, drew multitudes of people to hear him; and, by the blessing of God, his word made so deep an impression on their hearts, that very few went empty away. 2. From this time, till he undertook the direct care of souls, he used to be in London during the sitting of the Parliament, and the rest of the year at Tern-Hall, (as it was then called,) instructing the young gentlemen.