Wesley Corpus

14. A plain consequence of these observations is, (what some may esteem a paradox,) that dissipation, in the full, general meaning of the word, is the very same thing with ungodliness. The name is new; but the thing is, undoubtedly almost as old as the creation. And this is, at present, the peculiar glory of England, wherein it is not equalled by any nation under heaven. We therefore speak an unquestionable truth when we say, there is not on the face of the earth another nation (at least, that we ever heard of) so perfectly dissipated and ungodly; not only so totally "without God in the world," but so openly setting him at defiance. There never was an age that we read of in history, since Julius Caesar, since Noah, since Adam, wherein dissipation or ungodliness did so generally prevail, both among high and low, rich and poor. 15. But still, blessed be God! -- All are not lost: There be who faith Prefer, and piety to God! There are some, I trust more than seven thousand, yea, or ten times that number, in England, who have not yet bowed either their knee or their heart to the god of this world; who, cleaving close to the God of heaven, are not borne away by the flood, by the general, the almost universal, torrent of dissipation or ungodliness. They are not of the mind of gentle Crispus, -- Qui nunquam direxit brachia contra Torrentem, -- "who never attempted to swim against the stream." They dare swim against the stream. Each of them can truly say, Nec me, qui caetera, vincit Impetus, et rapido contrarius evehor orbi. [The following is Addison's translation of this quotation from Ovid: -- "I steer against their motions; nor am I Borne back by all the current of the sky." -- Edit.] If they cannot turn the tide back, they can at least bear an open testimony against it. They are therefore free from the blood of their ungodly countrymen: It must be upon their own head.