Wesley Corpus

For the time to come, I purpose going from Bristol to Cork, if I can procure a convenient passage; and returning from Dublin to Holyhead, and so through North and South Wales. So that once a year (as long as my life is prolonged) I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you at Fonmon. When I leave London next (probably about a month hence), I am to spend some time at Kingswood, and then embark for Ireland. I am glad Mr. Meriton [Wesley's estimate of his ability is not flattering. See letter of March 28, 1749.] is of use. He should have told me whither he was going. We must always use openness toward each other. If I find any one using cunning or subtlety with me, I set a mark upon that man. There was no guile found in our Lord's mouth; nor can it be in the mouth of any true Christian. Shall not all our afflictions work together for good They must, if God is true. To His care I commit you; and am Your affectionate brother and servant. To Vincent Perronet [25] [25a] {December} 1748. REVEREND AND DEAR SIR,--1. Some time since, you desired an account of the whole economy of the people commonly called Methodists. And you received a true (as far as it went) but not a full account. To supply what I think was wanting in that I send you this account, that you may know, not only their practice on every head, but likewise the reasons whereon it is grounded, the occasion of every step they have taken, and the advantages reaped thereby. 2. But I must premise that, as they had not the least expectation at first of anything like what has since followed, so they had no previous design or plan at all; but everything arose just as the occasion offered. They saw or felt some impending or pressing evil or some good end necessary to be pursued. And many times they fell unawares on the very thing which secured the good or removed the evil. At other times they consulted on the most probable means, following only common sense and Scripture; though they generally found, in looking back, something in Christian antiquity likewise, very nearly parallel thereto.