Wesley Corpus

That you may comply with this proposal, whether any other does or not. I myself have endeavoured so to do for many years, though I have been almost alone therein, and although many, the more earnestly I talk of peace, the more zealously make themselves ready for battle. I am, Reverend Sir, “Your affectionate Brother, “IT has pleased God to give you both the will and the power to do many things for his glory; although you are often ashamed you have done so little, and wish you could do a thousand times more. This induces me to mention to you what has been upon my mind for many years, and what I am persuaded would be much for the glory of God, if it could once be effected; and I am in great hopes it will be, if you heartily undertake it, trusting in him alone. “Some years since God began a great work in England; but the labourers were few. At first those few were of one heart; but it was not so long. First one fell off, then another and another, till no two of us were left together in the work, besides my brother and me. This prevented much good, and occasioned much evil. It grieved our spirits, and weakened our hands; it gave our common enemies huge occasion to blaspheme. It perplexed and puzzled many sincere Christians; it caused many to draw back to perdition; it grieved the Holy Spirit of God. “As labourers increased, disunion increased. Offences were multiplied; and instead of coming nearer to, they stood farther and farther off from, each other; till, at length, those who were not only brethren in Christ, but fellow-labourers in his Gospel, had no more connexion or fellowship with each other, than Protestants have with Papists. “But ought this to be? Ought not those who are united to one common Head, and employed by Him in one common work, to be united to each other ! I speak now of those labourers who are Ministers of the Church of England. These are chiefly,-- “Mr. Perronet, Romaine, Newton, Shirley; “Mr. Downing, Jesse, Adam; “Mr. Talbot, Riland, Stillingfleet, Fletcher; “Mr. Johnson, Baddily, Andrews, Jane; “Mr. Hart, Symes, Brown, Rouquet; 170 REv. J. wesDEY’s [April, 1764. “Mr. Sellon; “Mr. Venn, Richardson, Burnet, Furly; “Mr. Conyers, Bently, King; “Mr. Berridge, Hicks, J. W., C.