Wesley Corpus

But who thinks or cares about it? Too many of us do not: God is not in all our thoughts. I am afraid ignorance, yea, contempt, of God, is the present characteristic of the English nation. A late writer supposes it to be sloth and luxury; but I cannot think so; because neither of these is peculiar to us; our neighbours vie with us in both ; many of them are full as slothful as us, and many of them are as luxurious. But none can vie with us in this: There is no nation upon earth that is cqually profane. Is there any people under heaven that pays no more regard than we do to the Creator and Governor of heaven and earth ? What nation (I do not say in the Christian, but in the Mahometan or pagan, world) uses his great and venerable name with so little ceremony? In what country is there to be heard in so great abundance-- The horrid oath, the direful curse, (That latest weapon of the wretch's war !) And blasphemy, sad comrade of despair? Comrade of despair / So it uses to be in other countries; but in ours it is the comrade of mirth and jollity | We daily curse and swear, and blaspheme the Most High, merely by way of diversion, almost from the highest to the lowest. Nobility, gentry, tradesmen, peasants, blaspheme the worthy name whereby we are called, without provocation, without remorse ! Sloth and luxury we allow are general among us; but profaneness is well nigh universal. Whoever spends but a few days in any of our large towns, will find abundant proof, that senseless, shameless, stupid profaneness is the true characteristic of the English nation. Meantime we say, (in effect, if not in terms,) “Is there knowledge in the Most High Tush, thou God carest not for it.” But are we sure of this? I doubt, he does: I doubt, if this is still added to all the other instances of impiety, he will soon say, “Shall I not visit for these things? Shall I not be avenged on such a nation as this?” Let us be wise in time ! Let us be as wise, at least, as the inhabitants of Nineveh ; let us make our peace with God, and then we may defy all the men upon earth !