Wesley Corpus

Have the Methodists (so called) already monopolized all the sins, as well as errors, in the nation? Is Methodism the only sin, or the only fatal or spreading sin, to be found within the Bills of Mortality? Have two thousand (or more) “ambassadors of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” no other business than to guard, warn, arm, and fortify their people against this O my Lord, if this engrosses their time and strength, (as it must, if they follow your Lordship's instructions,) they will not give an account with joy, either of themselves or of their flock, in that day ! 18. Your Lordship seems in some measure sensible of this, when you very gently condemn their opinion, who think the Methodists “might better be disregarded and despised, than taken notice of and opposed, if it were not for the disturbance they give to the parochial Ministers, and their unwarrantable endeavours to seduce the people from their lawful Pastors.” (Charge, p. 22.) The same complaint with which your Lord ship opened your Charge: “They give shameful disturbances to the parochial Clergy; they annoy the established ministry, using very unwarrantable methods, first, to prejudice their people against them, and then to seduce their flocks from them.” (Ibid. page 4.) Whether we seduce them or no, (which will be presently con sidered,) I am sorry your Lordship should give any countenance to that low, senseless, and now generally exploded slander, that we do it for a maintenance. This your Lordship insinuates, by applying to us those words of Bishop Sanderson: “And all this to serve their own belly, to make a prey of the poor deluded proselytes; for by this means the people fall unto them, and thereout suck they no small advantage.” (Ibid. p. 15.) Your Lordship cannot but know, that my Fellowship, and my bro ther's Studentship, afford us more than sufficient for life and godliness; especially for that manner of life which we choose, whether out of ostentation or in sincerity. 19. But do we willingly “annoy the established ministry,” or “give disturbance to the parochial Clergy?” My Lord, we do not. We trust, herein, to have a conscience void of offence. Nor do we designedly “prejudice their people against them.” In this also our heart condemneth us not.