Wesley Corpus

'To be faithful to the teaching of the Spirit of God,' you have been exhorted ever since you joined the Methodists. This sentiment is not peculiar to Mr. Hilton [See letter of Feb. 7, 1778.]; nor, I believe, any scriptural sentiment. What I have lamented in him for some years is an aptness to condemn and to despise his brethren. There is no failing more infectious than this; 'tis much if you did not catch a little of it from him. For otherwise you would hardly pass that sentence, ' that the body of Methodists are degenerated.' You cannot possibly judge whether they are or no. Perhaps you converse with one or two hundred of them. Now, allowing two-thirds of these to be degenerated, can you infer the same concerning thirty or forty thousand? Yet thus much I will allow. Two-thirds of those who are grown rich are greatly degenerated. They do not, will not save all they can in order to give all they can. And without doing this they cannot grow in grace; nay, they continually grieve the Holy Spirit of God. It gives me pleasure to hear that you are recovering your strength of body. That you may continually increase in spiritual strength also is the constant wish of, my dear Miss Bishop, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Miss Bishop, At Mrs. Taylor's, Southampton. To Thomas Rutherford [23] LONDON, November 22, 1777. DEAR TOMMY,--You send me a pleasing account of the isle; just such an one as I expected. For I did not doubt but the work of God would prosper in your hands. They talk, but they can do nothing. If the Act of Toleration does not extend to the isle, neither does the Conventicle Act. So they have no ground to stand upon. It is soon enough to take the oaths when you are required so to do. If any one actually molests you, then apply to the Governor, telling him, ' I desired you so to do.' He will likewise do you justice in case of riots.--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. My kind love to Mr. Corlett. [See heading to letter of Jan. 17.] You may sell many of the penny tracts, and they will do much good. To the Reader of the ' Arminian Magazine' [24] LEWISHAM, November 24, 1777.