To Thomas Adam Date: SWINFLEET, July 19, 1768. REVEREND AND DEAR SIR, One of Wintringham informed me yesterday that you said no sensible and well-meaning man could hear and much less join the Methodists; because they all acted under a lie, professing themselves members of the Church of England while they licensed themselves as Dissenters. You are a little misinformed. The greater part of the Methodist preachers are not licensed at all; and several that are are not licensed as Dissenters. I instance particularly in Thomas Adams and Thomas Brisco. When Thomas Adams desired a license, one of the Justices said, 'Mr. Adams, are not you of the Church of England Why, then, do you desire a license' He answered, 'Sir, I am of the Church of England; yet I desire a license, that I may legally defend myself from the illegal violence of oppressive men.' T. Brisco being asked the same question in London, and the Justice adding, 'We will not grant you a license,' his lawyer replied, 'Gentlemen, you cannot refuse it: the Act is a mandatory act. You have no choice.' One asked the chairman, 'Is this true' He shook his head, and said, 'He is in the right.' The objection, therefore, does not lie at all against the greater part of the Methodist preachers; because they are either licensed in this form or not licensed at all. When others applied for a license, the Clerk or Justice said, 'I will not license you but as Protestant Dissenters.' They replied, 'We are of the Church; we are not Dissenters: but if you will call us so, we cannot help it.' They did call them so in their certificates, but this did not make them so. They still call themselves members of the Church of England; and they believe themselves so to be. Therefore neither do these act under a lie. They speak no more than they verily believe. Surely, then, unless there are stronger objections than this, both well-meaning and sensible men may, in perfect consistence with their sense and sincerity, not only hear but join the Methodists.

We are in truth so far from being enemies to the Church, that we are rather bigots to it. I dare not, like Mr. Venn, leave the parish church where I am to go to an Independent meeting. I dare not advise others to go thither rather than to church. I advise all over whom I have any influence steadily to keep to the Church. Meantime I advise them to see that the kingdom of God is within them; that their hearts be full of love to God and man; and to look upon all, of whatever opinion, who are ike-minded, as their 'brother and sister and mother.' O sir, what art of men or devils is this which makes you so studiously stand aloof from those who are thus minded I cannot but say to you, as I did to Mr. Walker (and I say it the more freely because Quid mea refert I am neither better nor worse, whether you hear or forbear), 'The Methodists do not want you; but you want them.' You want the life, the spirit, the power which they have, not of themselves, but by the free grace of God; else how could it be (let me speak without reserve) that so good a man and so good a preacher should have so little fruit of his labour his unwearied labour for so many years Have your parishioners the life of religion in their souls Have they so much as the form of it Are the people of Wintringham in general any better than those of Winterton or Horton Alas! sir, what is it that hinders your reaping the fruit of so much pains and so many prayers Is it not possible this may be the very thing, your setting yourself against those whom God owns by the continual conviction and conversion of sinners I fear, as long as you in any wise oppose these, your rod will not blossom, neither will you see the desire of your soul, in the prosperity of the souls committed to your charge. I pray God to give you a right judgement in all things; and am, dear sir, Your affectionate brother.