Wesley Corpus

Page 226 Pleaders for order they who all confound, Pillars who bear our Zion to the ground, Her doctrines and her purity disclaim, Our church's ruin and our nation's shame; Leaders who turn the lame out of the way, Shepherds, who watch to make the sheep their prey, Preachers, who dare their own report deny, Patrons of ARIUS or SOCINUS' lie, Who scoff the gospel truths as idle tales, Heathenish priests, and mitred infidels! Nor did he let his censure wildly fall, Or for the sake of some reproach them all: He knew with wiser judgment to revere, And vindicate the sacred character; The sacred character remain'd the same, Untouch'd, and unimpeach'd by private blame; Tho' deists blind, and sectaries agree To brand the heaven-descended ministry; Nor God nor man the bold revilers spare, T' accuse the followers with their Lord they dare, "For Judas fill'd an apostolick chair." This duteous son his piety retain'd, Nor left his mother by her children stain'd, Dishonour'd by her base degenerate sons The pure, and apostolick church he owns, Her sacred truths in righteousness he held, Her articles and creeds NOT YET repeal'd, Her homilies, replete with truth divine, Where pure religion flows in every line: