Wesley Corpus

Paul himself? Would that “stop the mouths of all your adversaries?” Yea, if you could convert three thousand at one sermon, still you would be so far from “stopping all their mouths at once,” that the greater part of them would gnash upon you with their teeth, and cry, “Away with such a fellow from the earth!” I never, therefore, expect “to persuade the world,” the majority of mankind, that I “have been,” for some years, “ad vancing nothing” but what has a clear, immediate connexion with “the true knowledge and love of God; ” that God hath been pleased to use me, a weak, vile worm, in reforming many of my fellow-sinners, and making them, at this day, living witnesses of “inward and pure religion; ” and that many of these, “from living in all sin, are quite changed, are become” so far “holy, that ” though they are not “free from all sin,” yet no sin hath dominion over them. And yet I do firmly believe, “it is nothing but downright prejudice, to deny or oppose any of these particulars.” (Preface, page 5.) “Allow Mr. Wesley,” you say, “but these few points, and he will defend his conduct beyond exception.” That is most true. If I have indeed “been advancing nothing but the true knowledge and love of God,” if God has made me an instru ment in reforming many sinners, and bringing them to “inward and pure religion;” and if many of these continue holy to this day, and free from all wilful sin, then may I, even I, use those awful words, “He that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me.” But I never expect the world to allow me one of these points. However, I must go on as God shall enable me. I must lay out whatsoever he intrusts me with, (whether others will believe I do it or no) in advancing the true Christian know ledge of God, and the love and fear of God among men; in reforming (if so be it please him to use me still) those who are yet without God in the world; and in propagating inward and pure religion,-righteousness, peace, and joyin the Holy Ghost. 10.