Wesley Corpus

My ordinary call is my ordination by the Bishop: ‘Take thou authority to preach the word of God.’ My extraordinary call is witnessed by the works God doeth by my ministry, which prove that He is with me of a truth in this exercise of my office. Perhaps this might be better expressed in another way: God bears witness in an extraordinary manner that my thus exercising my ordinary call is well-pleasing in His sight. But what if a bishop forbids this I do not say, as St. Cyprian, Populus a scelerato antistire separare se debet. [‘The people ought to separate themselves from a wicked bishop.’] But I say, God being my helper, I will obey Him still; and if I suffer for it, His will be done. To James Hutton [14] July 2, 1739. DEAR BRETHERN, -- I left London about six on Monday morning [June 18]; and on Tuesday evening at seven preached (as I had appointed if God should permit) to about five thousand people in the Bowling Green at Bristol, whose hearty affection moved me much. My subject was the same as at Kennington. About nine that faithful soldier of Christ, Howell Harris, [See letter of July 29, 1740.] called upon me. He said he had been much tempted not to do it at all; that many had told him I was an Arminian, a Free-wilier, and so on; so that he could hardly force himself to come to the Bowling Green. ‘But,’ he added, ‘I had not been long there before my spirit was knit to you, as it was to dear Mr. Whitefield; and before you had done, I was so overpowered with joy and love that I could scarce stand, and with much difficulty got home.’