None wickeder than me

Mon 28 Feb 1743: I preached again at Horsley and spoke severally with those of the society. The world now begins to take the alarm and to cast out their name as evil. After a very good woman (so called) had used abundance of arguments to hinder her neighbour from going near these people, she told her at length, ‘Why, none but the wickedest people upon earth go there.’ ‘Nay then’, replied she, ‘I will go immediately. For I am sure none upon earth is wickeder than me.’ Such be the event of all worldly wisdom!