Wesley Corpus

And what instruments are so proper as the Clergy? not only as they are in every place, distributed through the whole nation, and always ready on the spot for the work; but likewise as it more immediately belongs to them; as it is no inconsiderable branch of their business who are peculiarly set apart to “watch over the souls of men as they that must give account.” 5. But what way can the Clergy take, with any probability of success? There is one way, and one only; one that will (not probably, but) infallibly succeed. If this way is taken, I am willing to stake my life upon the success of it. And it is a plain, simple way, such as may be taken by any man, though but of a small capacity. For it requires no peculiar depth of understanding, no extraordinary height of learning; but only a share of common sense, and a honest, upright heart. 6. It was observed that the grand difficulty of the work lies, in the strong attachment of the Papists to their Clergy. Here therefore we are to begin; we are to strike at the root; and if this bigotry be but removed, whatever error or super stition is built upon it will of course fall to the ground. Now, this may be effectually done thus: The Papists them selves allow that one set of Clergy were holier and wiser even than their own, namely, the Apostles; they allow these both to have lived and preached better than the present Clergy even of the Roman Church. Here, therefore, is the short and sure method. Let all the Clergy of the Church of Ireland only live like the Apostles, and preach like the Apostles, and the thing is done. The Romans, on the same ground that they prefer th” Apostles before their own Clergy, will then prefer ours before them; and when they once do this, when we have carried this point, when their attachment to our Clergy is stronger than that to their own, they will be convinced by hundreds, till there is not a Roman left in the kingdom of Ireland. 7. If it be asked, But how did the Apostles live and preach?