Wesley Corpus

But as to the nature of religion, the life of God in the soul, they know no more (I will not say, than the Priest, but) than the beasts of the field. And how very little above these are the numerous inhabit ants of the northern parts of Scotland, or of the islands which lie either on the west or the north side of that kingdom I What knowledge have these, and what religion? Their re ligion usually lies in a single point, in implicitly believing the head of their clan, and implicitly doing what he bids.” Meantime they are, one and all, as ignorant of rational, scriptural religion, as of Algebra; and altogether as far from the practice as from the theory of it. “But it is not so in England: The very lowest of the peo ple are here better instructed.” I should be right glad to find it so; but I doubt a fair trial will show the contrary. I am afraid we may still say of thousands, myriads of peasants, men, women, and children, throughout our nation, “Wild as the untaught Indian's brood, The Christian savages remain; Strangers, yea, enemies to God, They make thee spill thy blood in vain.” The generality of English peasants are not only grossly, stupidly, I had almost said, brutishly ignorant as to all the arts of this life, but eminently so with regard to religion and the life to come. Ask a countryman, What is faith? What is repentance? What is holiness? What is true religion? and he is no more able to give you an intelligible answer, than if you were to ask him about the north-east passage. Is there, then, any possibility that they should practise what they know nothing of? If religion is not even in their heads, can it be in their hearts or lives? It cannot. Nor is there the least savour thereof, either in their tempers or conversation. Neither in the one, nor the other, do they rise one jot above the pitch of a Turk or a Heathen. Perhaps it will be said, “Whatever the clowns in the midland counties are, the people near the sea-coasts are more civilized.” Yes; great numbers of them are, in and near all our ports; many thousands there are civilized by smuggling.