Wesley Corpus

And it was a natural consequence of what that poor Minister had lately heard at the Bishop’s visitation; as it was one great cause of the miserable riots and outrages which soon followed. It is this, my brethren, it is your own preaching, and not ours, which sets the people against you. The very same per sons who are diverted with those sermons, cannot but despise you for them in their hearts; even those who on your autho rity believe most of the assertions which you adv nce. What then must they think of you, who know the greatest part of what you assert to be utterly false? They may pity and pray for you; but they can esteem you no other than false wit nesses against God and your brethren. 22. “But what need is there,” say even some of a milder spirit, “ of this preaching in fields and streets? Are there not churches enough to preach in ?” No, my friend, there are not; not for us to preach in. You forget; we are not suffered to preach there, else we should prefer them to any places whatever. “Well, there are Ministers enough with out you.” Ministers enough, and churches enough ! for what? to reclaim all the sinners within the four seas? If there were, they would all be reclaimed. But they are not re claimed: Therefore, it is evident that there are not churches enough. And one plain reason why, notwithstanding all these churches, they are no nearer being reclaimed, is this, -they never come into a church, perhaps not once in a twelve month, perhaps not for many years together. Will you say, (as I have known some tender-hearted Christians,) “Then it is their own fault; let them die, and be damned ?” I grant it is their own fault; and so it was my fault and yours when we went astray like sheep that were lost. Yet the Shepherd of souls sought after us, and went after us into the wildcriness. And “oughtest not thou to have compassion on thy fellow servants, as he had pity on thee?” Ought not we also “to seek,” as far as in us lies, “and to save, that which is lost?” Behold the amazing love of God to the outcasts of men His tender condescension to their folly! They would regard nothing done in the usual way.