Wesley Corpus

Bespham, many years Master of a man-of-war. From the time he received 114 REv. J. WESLEY's Jan. 1778. the truth in love, he was a pattern to all that believe. His faith was full of mercy and good fruits: His works shall praise him in the gates. A few days since, my Assistant, Mr. Baynes, by far the strongest person in our family, was taken ill of a fever. He was immediately attended both by an Apothecary and a Physician; but their labour was in vain : This morning God called him into the world of spirits. I had no desire to part with him; but God knew what was best both for him and me. We concluded the old year, and began the new, with prayer and thanksgiving. Four or five of the Local Preachers assisted me. I was agreeably surprised; their manner of praying being so artless and unlaboured, and yet rational and scriptural, both as to sense and expression. Thur. JANUARY 1, 1778-We had a very solemn oppor tunity of renewing our covenant with God. Tuesday, 6. I spent an agreeable and a profitable hour with three German gentlemen, two of them Lutheran Ministers, and the third, Professor of Divinity at Leipsig. I admired both their good sense, seriousness, and good breeding. How few of our Clergy exceed or equal them 1 I went over to Tunbridge-Wells, and preached in the large Dissenting meeting, to a numerous congrega tion; and deep attention sat on every face. Tuesday, 20. I went on, through miserable roads, to Robertsbridge ; where an unusually large congregation was waiting. Thence we went on to Rye, where the House was sufficiently crowded, as usual. How large a society would be here, could we but spare them in one thing ! Nay, but then all our labour would be in vain. One sin allowed would intercept the whole blessing. Mr. Holman's widow being extremely desirous I should lodge at Carborough, two miles from Rye, I ordered my chaise to take me up at the preaching-house immediately after the service. She had sent a servant to show me the way; which was a road dirty and slippery enough, cast up between two impassable marshes. The man waited a while, and then went home, leav ing us to guide ourselves.