Wesley Corpus

“5. This preaching destroys true, genuine simplicity. Let a plain, open-hearted man, who hates controversy, and loves the religion of the heart, go but a few times to Fetter-lane, and he begins to dispute with eve.y man he meets; he draws the sword and throws away the scabbard; and if he happens to be hard pressed, by Scripture or reason, he nas as many turns and fetches as a Jesuit; so that it is out of the power of a common man even to understand, much more to confute him. “6. Lastly, I have known a short attendance on this preaching destroy | both gratitude, justice, mercy, and truth. Take one only, but a terrible proof of this:--One, whom you know, was remarkably exact in keeping his word: he is now (after hearing them but a few months) as remark able for breaking it; being infinitely more afraid of a legal than of a lying Dec. 1750. ] REV. J- WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 505 spirit! more jealous of the works of the Law than of the works of the devil! He was cutting off every possible expense, in order to do justice to all men: he is now expending large sums in mere superfluities. He was merciful after his power, if not beyond his power; List/ning attentive to the wretches’ ery, The groan low-murmur’d, and the whisper’d sigh: But the bowels of his compassion are now shut up: he has been in works too long already ; so now to prove his faith, he lets the poor brother starve, for whom Christ died! If he loved any one under the sun more than his own soul, it was the instrument by whom God had raised him from the dead: he assisted him to the utmost of his power; he would defend him even before princes: but he is now unconcerned whether he sinks or Swims: he troubles not himself about it. Indeed he gives him good words; that is, before his face; but behind his back he can himself rail at him by the hour, and vehemently maintain, not that he is mistaken in a few smaller points, but that he ‘ preaches another God, not Jesus Christ.’ Art thou the man? If you are not, go and hear the Germans again next Sunday.”