Wesley Corpus

“2. The poor sufferers, Iam informed, applied for redress, to a neigh bouring justice of the peace. But they could have none. So far from it, that the justice himself told them, the treatment was good enough for them ; and that if they went on, (in worshipping God according to their own conscience,) the mob should use them so again. “<3. I allow, some of those people might behave with passion or ill manners. But if they did, was there any proportion at all between the fault and the punishment? Or, whatever punishment was due, does the law direct that a riotous mob should be the inflicters of it ? “4, I allow also, that this gentleman supposed the doctrines of the Methodists (so called) to be extremely bad. But is he assured of this? Has he read their writings? If not, why does he pass sentence before he hears the evidence? If he has, and thinks them wrong, yet is this a method of confuting to be used in a Christian,--a Protestant country? Particularly in Engiand, where every man may think for himself, as he must give an,account for himself to God? “5, The sum of our doctrine, with regard to inward religion, (so far as 520 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ Aug. 1751 I understand it,) is comprised in two points: the loving God with all our hearts, and the loving our neighbour as ourselves. And with regard tooutward religion, in two more: the doing all to the glory of God; and the doing to all what we would desire in like cireumstances should be done to us. I believe no one will easily confute this by Scripture and sound reason; or prove that we preach or hold any other doctrine as necessary to salvation. “6. I thought it my duty, sir, though a stranger to you, to say thus much, and to request two things of you: 1. That the damage these puor people have sustained may be repaired; and, next, that they may, for the time to come, be allowed to enjoy the privilege of Englishmen,--toserve God according to the dictates of their own conscience. On these conditions they are heartily willing to forget all that is past. ‘** Wishing you all happiness, spiritual and temporal, “TJ remain, Reverend Sir, . “Your affectionate brother and servant.