Wesley Corpus

Is it the offspring of heaven, or a smoke from the bottomless pit? O Sir, whence is that zeal which makes you talk in such a manner to his Grace of Canterbury? “I lay before you the disposition of an enemy who threaten our Church with a gene ral alteration or total subversion; who interrupt us as we walk the streets,” (Whom? When? Where?) “in that very dress which distinguishes us as servants of the state,” (altogether servants of the state?) “in the now sad capacity of Ministers of the falling Church of England. Such being the prostrate, miserable condition of the Church, and such the triumphant state of its enemies, none of the English Priesthood can expect better security or longer continuance than the rest. They all subsist at mercy. Your Grace and those of your order will fare no better than those of our own.” Sir, are you in earnest? Do you really believe Lambeth is on the point of being blown up? You go on: “In the remote counties of England, I have seen a whole troop of these divines on horseback, travelling with each a sister behind him.” O Sir, O Sir, What should be great you turn to farce! Have you forgot, that the Church and nation are on the brink of ruin? But pray when and where did you see this? in what year, or in what county? I cannot but fear you take this story on trust; for such a sight, I will be bold to say, was never seen. With an easy familiarity you add: “My Lord, permit me here to whisper a word” (Is not this whispering in print some thing new 7) “that may be worth remembering. In our memory, some of the Priesthood have not proved so good sub jects as might have been expected, till they have been brought over with preferments, that were due to other people.” Mean ing, I presume, to yourself. Surely his Grace will remember this, which is so well worth remembering, and dispose of the next preferment in his gift where it is sojustly due. If he does not, if he either forgets this or your other directions, you tell him frankly what will be the consequence: “We must apply to Tarliament;” (p. 6;) or to His Majesty; and, indeed, how can you avoid it?