Wesley Corpus

How Far Is It the Duty of a Christian Minister to Preach Politics? Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- 1. It is impossible to answer this question before it is understood. We must, First, therefore endeavour to under stand it; and then it will be easy to answer. 2. There is a plain command in the Bible, “Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.” But notwith standing this, many that are called religious people speak evil of him continually. And they speak many things that are palpably false; particularly when they affirm him to be a MINISTER TO PREACII Politics? 155 weak man; whereas a Nobleman, who is not at all prejudiced in his favour, when he was pressed to speak, made this honest declaration: “Sir, I know him well; and I judge the King to be one of the most sensible men in Europe. His Ministers are no fools; but His Majesty is able to wind them all round his finger.” 3. Now, when a Clergyman comes into a place where this and many more stories, equally false, have been diligently propagated against the King, and are generally believed, if he guards the people against this evil-speaking, by refuting those slanders, many cry out, “O, he is preaching politics!” 4. If you mean this by the term, it is the bounden duty of every Christian Minister to preach politics. It is our bounden duty to refute these vile aspersions, in public as well as in private. But this can be done only now and then, when it comes naturally in our way. For it is our main and constant business to “preach Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” 5. Again: Many who do not so freely censure the King, speak all manner of evil of his Ministers. If any misfortune befals us at home or abroad, by sea or land, it is “all their fault.” If one commander in America is surprised with all his forces when he is dead drunk, “Lord North deserves to be hanged.” If General Burgoyne or Lord Cornwallis is betrayed into their enemy’s hand, all the blame is laid on our Ministers at home. But still the King is wounded through their sides; the blame glances from them to him.