Wesley Corpus

Nay, ought she not immediately to spew them out, to renounce all fellowship with them? Would she not be far better without them than with them? Let any man of reason judge. (2.) Is the drunkard's calling himself of the Church of Eng land, of any more use to him than to the Church? Will this save him from hell, if he die in his sin? Will it not rather increase his damnation? (3.) Is not a drunkard of any other Church just as good as a drunkard of the Church of England? Yea, is not a drunken Papist as much in the favour of God as a drunken Protestant? (4.) Is not a cursing, swearing Turk, (if there be such an one to be found) full as acceptable to God, as a cursing, swearing Christian? Nay, (5.) If there be any advantage, does it not lie on the side of the former? Is he not the less inexcusable of the two, as sinning against less light? O why will you sink these poor souls deeper into perdition than they are sunk already? Why will you prophesy unto them, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace? Why, if you do it not yourself, (whether you cannot, or will not, God knoweth,) should you hinder us from “guiding them into the way of peace?” 33. Will you endeavour to excuse yourself by saying, “There are not many who are the better for your preaching; and these by and by will be as bad as ever; as such and such an one is already?” I would to God I could set this in a just light! But I can not: All language fails. God begins a glorious work in our land. You set yourself against it with all your might, to prevent its beginning where it does not yet appear, and to destroy it wherever it does. In part you prevail. You keep many from hearing the word that is able to save their souls. Others who had heard it, you induce to turn back from God, and to list under the devil’s banner again. Then you make the success of your own wickedness an excuse for not acknowledging the work of God! You urge, that not many sinners were reformed; and that some of those are now as bad as ever ! Whose fault is this?