Wesley Corpus

Of all these, Mr. Williams, Cownly, Reeves, Haughton, Larwood, Skelton, Swindells, Tucker, and Wheatly, you pro nounce in the lump, that they are “a parcel of vagabond, illi terate babblers;” (pages 3,4;) of whom “every body that has the least share of reason must know,” that, though “they amuse the populace with nonsense, ribaldry, and blasphemy, they are not capable of writing orthography or good sense.” Sir, that is not an adjudged case. Some who have a little share of reason, think they are capable both of speaking and writing good sense. But if they are not, if they cannot write or read, they can save souls from death; they can, by the grace of God, bring sinners from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. 7. But they “made a woman plunder her poor old husband, and another absent herself from her husband and children.” (Pages 24, 25.) Pray, what are their names; where do they live; and how may one come to the speech of them? I have heard so many plausible tales of this kind, which on examina tion vanished away, that I cannot believe one word of this till I have more proof than your bare assertion. 8. So far I have been pleading for others. But I am now called to answer for myself. For “Theophilus and John Wes ley,” say you, “seem to me the same individual person.” (Page 4.) They may seem so to you; but not to any who knows either my style or manner of writing. Besides, if it had been mine, it would have borne my name: For I do not love fight ing in the dark. But were not “a great number ’’ of those books “brought from Dublin, to be dispersed throughout the city?” Not by me; not by my order, nor to my knowledge. However, I thank you again for dispersing them. 9. But “while charity stands in the front of Christian graces, the author of such a book can have none of that grace. For you must allow the vulgar to think.” (Page 26.) Mal-a propos enough, a lively saying; but for any use it is of, it may stand either in the front or rear of the sentence. The argument itself is something new. A man knocks me down: I cry, “Help! help!