What a pity therefore is it, Reverend Sir, that the book of homilies, which ought to be in every hand, and as common as our common prayer books, should never yet have found a place in the large catalogue of books given away by the truly laudable society for promoting christian knowledge, though founded soon after the glorious revolution. If this be not remedied some way or another, we shall very soon become disorderly indeed: our pulpits will still continue to contradict our reading-desks, and we shall never have the honour of being stiled regular and orderly, till, regardless of subscriptions, oaths, rubrics, and ordination-offices themselves, our practices give the lie to our professions, and we seek the fleece not the flock, and “preach ourselves, and not CHRIST JESUS the LORD.”
Dead formalists, and proud self-righteous bigots, may loudly exclaim and cry out, “the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are we!” They may not only cry out, but also cast out; and thinking they thereby do GOD service, though most notoriously deficient in their own moral conduct, may plead conscience, and say, “Let the LORD be glorified.” But to such as these our LORD once said, “Ye are they that justify yourselves before men, but GOD knoweth your hearts.” Like the chief priests, and the scribes and pharisees of old, they may plead their law; for the breach of which, these irregulars, as they imagine, ought to be condemned and suffer; nay, a time may come when they may be permitted to enforce their clamorous accusations, by urging, as their godly predecessors once did against our Master, that “we found these fellows perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute unto _Cæsar_: but _Pilate_ knew that for envy they delivered Him.” And though they could plead their loyalty, and say, “If thou let this man go, thou art not _Cæsar_’s friend, we have no king but _Cæsar_;” yet both our LORD and his Apostles rendered themselves, and strictly taught all that heard them, to “render unto _Cæsar_ the things that are _Cæsar_’s, and unto GOD the things that are GOD’s.” Fain would the Methodists copy after such gloriously divine examples: and blessed be GOD, after a trial of near forty years, upon the most severe scrutiny, their loyalty cannot be justly so much as once called in question: for, as they fear GOD, so they dearly love and honour their King, their rightful sovereign King _George_; and have been, and continue to be, steady, invariable friends to the protestant succession in the illustrious house of _Hanover_. And if so, supposing these Methodists should be convicted of acting somewhat irregular, since it is only the irregularity of preaching and recommending unfeigned love to GOD, and, for his great name sake, undissembled, disinterested loyalty to their King; is it not the interest as well as duty of civil government, if not to encourage, yet not to oppose them? For it is certainly a most incontestable truth, that every additional proselyte to true Methodism, is an additional loyal subject to King _George the Third_, whom, with his royal most amiable consort, our gracious Queen _Charlotte_, the Methodists with one united voice earnestly pray, GOD long to continue to be a nursing father and nursing mother to our church, and people of every denomination whatsoever.