Wesley Corpus

What arts have not been used to keep back those, of the Clergy in particular, who have been clearly convinced, from time to time, that they ought to join hearts and hands in the work? On this occasion it has been accounted meritorious to “say all manner of evil of us falsely;” to promise them whatever their hearts desired, if they would refrain from these men; and, on the other hand, to threaten them with heavy things if ever they went among them more. So that how fully soever they were con vinced, they could not act according to their conviction, unless * How old must a book be before it is good for anything? | they could give up at once all thought of preferment either in Church or State; nay, all hope of even a Fellowship, or poor Scholarship, in either University. Many also have been threatened, that if they went on in this way, what little they had should be taken from them. And many have, on this very account, been disowned by their dearest friends and nearest relations: So that there was no possibility the num ber of these labourers should ever be increased at all, unless by those who could break through all these ties, who desired nothing in the present world, who counted neither their for tunes, nor friends, nor lives, dear unto themselves, so they might only keep “a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men.” 7. But what do you infer from their fewness? that, be cause they are few, therefore God cannot work by them? Upon what scripture do you ground this? I thought it was the same to Him, to save by many or by few. Upon what rea son ? Why cannot God save ten thousand souls by one man, as well as by ten thousand? How little, how inconsiderable a circumstance is number before God! Nay, is there not reason to believe that whensoever God is pleased to work a great deliverance, spiritual or temporal, he may first say, as of old, “The people are too many for me to give the Midi anites into their hands?” May he not purposely choose few as well as inconsiderable instruments, for the greater manifesta tion of his own glory? Very few, I grant, are the instru ments now employed; yet a great work is wrought already.