Wesley Corpus

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? I answer, (not to descend to particulars) as to their inward life, if I may so speak, they “lived the life which is hid with Christ in God.” “They were crucified with Christ.