Wesley Corpus

“The last tract, entitled ‘A Caveat against the Method ists, is, in reality, a caveat against the Church of England, or rather, against all the Churches in Europe who dissent from the Church of Rome. Nor do I apprehend the writer to be any more disgusted at the Methodists than at Protestants of every denomination; as he cannot but judge it equally unsafe to join to any society but that of Rome. Accordingly, all his arguments are levelled at the Reformed Churches in general, and conclude just as well, if you put the word Protestant throughout in the place of the word Methodist. Although, therefore, the author borrows my name to wound those who suspect nothing less, yet I am no more concerned 28 REv. J. wesley’s [Dec. 1760. to refute him than any other Protestant in England; and still the less, as those arguments are refuted over and over, in books which are still common among us. “But is it possible any Protestants, nay, Protestant Clergyman, should buy these tracts to give away? Is then the introducing Popery the only way to overthrow Method ism? If they know this, and choose Popery as the smaller evil of the two, they are consistent with themselves. But if they do not intend this, I wish them more seriously to consider what they do. I am, Sir, “Your humble servant, Mon. 24.--I visited as many as I could of the sick. How much better is it, when it can be done, to carry relief to the poor, than to send it ! and that both for our own sake and theirs. For theirs, as it is so much more comfortable to them, and as we may then assist them in spirituals as well as temporals; and for our own, as it is far more apt to soften our heart, and to make us naturally care for each other. Mon. DECEMBER 1.--I went in the machine to Canter bury. In going and returning I read over “The Christian Philosopher.” It is a very extraordinary book, containing, among many (as some would be apt to term them) wild thoughts, several fine and striking observations, not to be found in any other treatise. Wed. 3.--I rode to Dover. Who would have expected to find here some of the best singers in England? I found likewise what was better still,--a serious, earnest people.