Wesley Corpus

But I make no question, Satan, so far as he gets power, may exert himself on such occasions, partly to hinder the good work in the persons who are thus touched with the sharp arrows of conviction, and partly to disparage the work of God, as if it tended to lead people to distraction.” For instances of madness you refer to pages 88,90, 91, 92, 93. The words in page 88 are these:-- “I could not but be under some concern, with regard to one or two persons, who were tormented in an unaccountable man ner, and seemed to be indeed lunatic as well as ‘sore vexed.’ Soon after I was sent for to one of these, who was so strangely ‘torn of the devil,” that I almost wondered her relations did not say, Much religion ‘hath made thee mad. We prayed God to bruise Satan under her feet. Immediately ‘we had the petition we asked of him. She cried out vehemently, ‘He is gone ! he is gone !’ and was filled with the Spirit of ‘love, and of a sound mind.’ I have seen her many times since strong in the Lord. When I asked, abruptly, ‘What do you desire now 2° she answered, “Heaven.” I asked, ‘What is in your heart?” She replied, ‘God.” I asked, “But how is your heart when anything provokes you?” She said, ‘By the grace of God, I am not provoked at anything. All the things of this world pass by me as shadows.’” Are these the words of one that is beside herself? Let any man of reason judge! Your next instance (p. 90) stands thus: “About noon I came to Usk, where I preached to a small company of poor people, on, ‘The Scn of man is come to save that which is lost.’ One grey-headed man wept and trembled exceedingly; and another who was there, (I have since heard,) as well as two or three who were at the Devauden, are gone quite distracted; that is, (my express words, that immediately follow, specify what it was which some accounted distraction,) “they mourn and refuse to be comforted, until they have redemption through his blood.’” If you think the case mentioned pp. 92, 93, to be another instance of madness, I contend not.