Wesley Corpus

The inquirers jumped into the middle of it at once, in defiance of all logic and common sense. “The state of the nation” is a very vague and indeterminate expression; so indeterminate, that, if the meaning of the phrase be not fixed before the inquiry concerning it is begun, men of elo quence may make vehement speeches, of two or three hours long, while neither the speakers nor the hearers know what they are talking about. And speeches of this kind tend to inflame, not to inform, our homest countrymen. They are calculated, not to bring light, but fire; to raise the nation into a flame. But to come to the point: You are desirous to inquire concerning the state of the nation. But what is it you would know concerning it? “Certainly, whether it be prosperous or not?” In what respects? It may be prosperous in one respect, and not so in another. Tell us coolly and distinctly, what is the question? And what is it you would prove? It is this: “Is not the nation ruined?” Ruined / What can you mean? The great men of another nation asked the King, “Knowest thou not that Egypt is destroyed?” How was it destroyed? Why, all the cattle of Egypt were killed by the murrain. And not only all the flax and corn, all the wheat and barley were consumed, but the locusts had devoured every herb and leaf, and left no green thing in the land. Countrymen, judge | Is England thus destroyed? Are all our cattle killed? Have you no oxen, or cows, or sheep, or swine?--no horses, mules, asses left? Whatever be the case elsewhere, are not a few of them left alive in London? Is all your corn destroyed? Look round upon the fields; is there no green thing left? See with your own eyes. You do see, that there is as fair a prospect, as has been for many years. I can testify, that for more than half a century, there has not been greater plenty, either of cattle or vegetables of every kind, than there is at this day. England therefore is not destroyed. “But is it not in the high road to destruction? What is its present state? good or bad? increasing or decreasing?” Increasing or decreasing, in what respects?