Part 74

And why, my Lords, should the Author be so averse to _field-preaching_? Has not our Saviour given a sanction to this way of preaching? Was not the best sermon that was ever preached, delivered on a mount? Did not our glorious _Emmanuel_ (after he was thrust out of the synagogues) preach from a ship, in a wilderness, &c.? Did not the Apostles, after his ascension, preach in _schools_, _public markets_, and such like places of resort and concourse? And can we copy after better examples? If it be said, “that the world was then heathen,” I answer, and am persuaded your Lordships will agree with me in this, that there are thousands and ten thousands in his Majesty’s dominions, as ignorant of true and undefiled religion, as ever the heathens were? And are not persons who dare venture out, and shew such poor souls the way to heaven, real friends both to church and state? And why then, my Lords, should the _civil power_ be applied to in order to quell and suppress them? Or a pamphlet encouraged by several of the _Right Reverend the Bishops_, which is manifestly calculated for that purpose? I would humbly ask your Lordships, whether it would not be more becoming your Lordships characters, to put your clergy on preaching against revelling, cock-fighting, and such like, than to move the government against those, who out of love to GOD and precious souls, put their lives in their hand, and preach unto such revellers, repentance towards GOD, and faith towards our LORD JESUS? What if the Methodists, “by public advertisements do invite the rabble?” (as our Author is pleased to write, page 4, paragraph 2.) Is not the same done by other clergy, and even by your Lordships, when you preach charity sermons? But, my Lords, what does the Author mean by the _rabble_? I suppose, the common people. If so, these are they who always heard the blessed JESUS gladly. It was chiefly the poor, my Lords, the οχλος, the turba, the mob, the multitude, these people, who, the scribes and pharisees said, knew not the law, and were accursed; these were they that were evangelized, had the gospel preached unto them, and received the Spirit of GOD’s dear Son. Not many mighty, not many noble are called, says the Apostle. _Indocti rapiunt cœlum, dum nos cum doctrina descendimus in Gehennam_, says one of the fathers. And therefore, my Lords, supposing we do advertise the rabble, and none but such make up our auditories, (which is quite false) if this be the Methodists shame, they may glory in it. for these rabble, my Lords, have precious and immortal souls, for which the dear Redeemer shed his precious blood, as well as the great and rich. These, my Lords, are the publicans and harlots that enter into the kingdom of heaven, whilst self-righteous formal professors reject it. To shew such poor sinners the way to GOD, to preach to them the power of CHRIST’s resurrection, and to pluck them as firebrands out of the burning, the Methodist preachers go out into the highways and hedges. If this is to be vile, by the help of my GOD, I shall be more vile; neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, and be made instrumental in turning any of this rabble to righteousness. And more especially do I think it my duty to invite, and preach to this rabble in all places, where providence shall send me, at this season; that I may warn them against the dreadful effects of popish principles, and exhort them to exert their utmost endeavours to keep out a popish Pretender from ever sitting upon the _English_ throne. In acting thus, I humbly apprehend, I can do most service to the cause of the blessed JESUS, to his present Majesty King _George_, to my fellow-subjects, and the government under which I live. And however such kind of preachers may be every where spoken against now, yet I doubt not but at the great decisive day, they will be received with an _Euge bene_, and shine as stars in the firmament for ever and ever: whilst those, who have only “divined for hire, have fed themselves, and not the flock, and lorded it over GOD’s heritage,” perhaps, may pay dear for their preferment, and rise to everlasting contempt. Pardon me, my Lords, for expressing myself here with some degree of warmth. I must own it gives me concern, to see some of the clergy strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, and attempt to pull the mote out of our eyes, before they have pulled the beam out of their own. Is it not ridiculous, my Lords, even in the eyes of ♦worldly men, and does it not render the Author of this pamphlet, justly liable to contempt, to charge the Methodists with breaking canons and rubricks, which is really not their faults; when at the same time he knows, that the generality of the clergy so notoriously break both canons and rubricks, and that too in the most important articles, such as not CATECHISING, PLURALITIES, NON-RESIDENCE, &c. every day themselves? With what face can he do it? Is not this like _Nero_’s setting _Rome_ on fire, and then charging it upon the christians? May not “physician heal thyself,” be immediately retorted on him?