Wesley Corpus

Suppose then we were to contract the question, in order to make it a little less unwieldy. We will bound our inquiry, for the present, within a square of three or four miles. It may be certainly known by candid men, both what has been and what is now done within this Ristance; and from hence they may judge of those fruits else where, which they cannot be so particularly informed of. Inquire then, “Which are greater, the numbers of serious men, perplexed and deluded by these Teachers, or of notorious sinners brought to repentance and good life,” within the forest of Kingswood? Many indeed of the inhabitants are nearly as they were; are not much better or worse for their preach ing; because the neighbouring Clergy and Gentry have suc cessfully laboured to deter them from hearing it. But between three and four hundred of those who would not be deterred are now under the care of those Preachers. Now, what num ber of these were serious Christians before? Were fifty? Were twenty? Were ten? Peradventure there might five such be found. But it is a question whether there could or no. The remainder were gross, open sinners, common swearers, drunkards, Sabbath-breakers, whoremongers, plunderers, rob bers, implacable, unmerciful, wolves and bears in the shape of men. Do you desire instances of more “notorious sinners” than these? I know not if Turkey or Japan can afford them. And what do you include in “repentance and good life?” Give the strictest definition thereof that you are able; and I will undertake, these once notorious sinners shall be weighed in that balance, and not found wanting. 8. Not that all the Methodists (so called) “were very wicked people before they followed us.” There are those among them, and not a few, who are able to stop the boasting of those that despise them, and to say, “Whereinsoever any of you is bold, I am bold also:” Only they “count all these things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.” But these we found, as it were, when we sought them not.