Wesley Corpus

By this “good sort of men,” I mean, persons who have a iking to, but no sense of, religion; no real fear or love of God; no truly Christian tempers. “These steal away the little zeal he has, that is, persuade him to be peaceable.” No ; persuade me to be like themselves,--without love either to God or man “Again, speaking of one, he says, “Indulging himself in o - harmless company,’” (vulgarly so called,) “he first made ship wreck of his zeal, then of his faith. In this I think he is right. The zeal and faith of a fanatic are such exact tallies, that nei ther can exist alone. They came into the world together, to disturb society and dishonour religion.” By zeal, I mean the flame of love, or fervent love to God and man; by faith, the substance or confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Is this the zeal and faith of a fanatic? Then St. Paul was the greatest fanatic on earth. Did these come into the world to “disturb society and dis honour religion?” “On the whole, we find Mr. W., by his own confession, entirely destitute of prudence. Therefore it must be ascribed to the want of this, if his preaching be attended with tumult and disorder.” (Page 181.) By his own confession ? Surely no. This I confess, and this only: What is falsely called pru dence, I abhor; but true prudence I love and admire. However, “You set at nought the discipline of the Church, by invading the province of the parochial Minister:” (Page 182:) Nay, if ever I preach at all, it must be in the province of some parochial Minister. “By assembling in undue places, and at unfit times.” I know of no times unfit for those who assemble. And I believe Hannam Mount and Rose Green were the most proper places under heaven for preaching to the colliers in Kingswood. “By scurrilous invectives against the Governors and Pastors of the National Church.” This is an entire mistake. I dare not make any “scurrilous invectives” against any man. “Insolencies of this nature provoke warm. men to tumult.” But these insolencies do not exist. So that whatever tumult either warm or cool men raise, I am not. chargeable therewith.