Wesley Corpus

Then he said, ‘ qT believe you are the cause of all the evil that is fallen upon the nation, I said, ‘ What reason have you to believe so? Can you prove that one Methodist in England did assist the rebels, with either men, money, or arms?’ He answered, ‘No; but it has been observed, that there has been always such a people, before any great evil fell on the land.’ Isaid,‘It hath been as you say: but that people was not the cause of the evil no more than we are at this time. But these mobbers, and swearers, and drunkards, and whoremongers, and extortioners, and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; these are the cause why Ged afflicteth both man and beast,--not we: we are sent to persuade them to break off their sins by repentance, that the heavy judgments of God may not consume such a people. And if there be not a general reformation, God will be avenged of such a nation as this.’ Then he said, ‘ Do not preach here.’ But God opened my mouth, and I did not cease to set life and death before him. The constable began to be uneasy, and said, ‘What must we do with him?’ ‘ Well,’ he said, ‘I understand he is for leaving the town to-morrow; I think you must take him to your house.’ But he desired to be excused. Then the justice said, ‘ You may go where you caine from.’ When I had gone a little way through the mob, he came to the door, and called, ‘ Mr. Nelson, stopa little.’ Then he ordered the constable to conduct me to the house he fetched me from, and take care that the mob did not hurt me. This seemed to be a great mortification tc him; but he was obliged to do it. So he brought me to our brethren again; and left us to give thanks to God for all his mercies.”