Thirdly, It is written, that _those who received not the mark of the beast, either on their fore-heads, or in their right hands_, either openly or secretly were not permitted _to buy or sell any more_. Now whatever the mystery contained herein may be, I apprehend the plain mark of the beast is wickedness; inward and outward unholiness, whatever is secretly or openly contrary to justice, mercy or truth. And certain it is, the time is ♦well nigh come, when those who have not this mark, can neither buy nor sell, can scarce follow any profession, so as to gain a subsistence thereby. Therefore, many of those who attend on my ministry, are by this means poorer than before. They will not receive the mark of the beast, either on their forehead or in their hand: or if they had received it, before, they rid themselves of it as soon as possible. Some cannot follow their former way of life _at all_; (as pawnbrokers, smugglers, buyers or sellers of uncustomed goods) others cannot follow it _as they did before_. For they cannot oppress, cheat or defraud their neighbour: they cannot lie, or say what they do not mean; they _must_ now speak the truth from their heart. On all these accounts, they _have less_ of this world’s goods; because they _gain less_ than they did before.
♦ “will” replaced with “well”
Fourthly, _all that will live godly in |Christ Jesus| shall suffer persecution_: If in no other way, yet at least in this, that _men will by revilings persecute them; and say all manner of evil against them falsly, for his sake_. One unavoidable effect of this will be, that men whose subsistence depends on their daily labour, will be often in want, for few will care to employ those of so _bad a character_. And even those who did employ them before, perhaps for many years, will employ them no more; so that hereby some may indeed be brought to beggary.
*8. What does this touch _you_? Are _you_ one of those, “who will have nothing to do with those scandalous wretches?” Perhaps you will say, “And who can blame me for it: may I not employ whom I please?” We will weigh this. You employed _A. B._ for several years. By your own account, he was an honest, diligent man. You had no objection to him but his following _this way_. For this reason you turn him off. In a short time, having spent his little all, and having no supply, he wants bread. So does his family too as well as himself. Before he can get into other business to procure it, thro’ want of convenient food to eat, and raiment to put on, he sickens and dies. This is not an imaginary scene. I have known the case; tho’ too late to remedy it.
“And what then?” What then _you_ are a murderer. _O earth, cover not thou his blood!_ No it doth not. _The cry thereof hath entered into the ears of the Lord God of sabbaoth._ And God requireth it at _your_ hands: and will require it in an hour when you think not. For _you_ have as effectually murdered that man, as if you had stabbed him to the heart.
It is not I then who ruin and starve that family; it is _you_; _you_ who call yourself a _protestant_! _You_ who cry out against the _persecuting_ spirit of the _Papists_! Ye fools and blind! What are ye better then they? Why, _Edmund Bonner_ would have _starved_ the hereticks in _prison_: whereas _you starve_ them in their _own houses_.
*And all this time you talk of _liberty of conscience_! Yes, liberty for such a conscience as your own: a conscience _past feeling_; (for sure it had some once) a conscience _seared with a hot iron_. Liberty to serve the devil, according to your poor, hardened conscience, you allow; but not liberty to serve God.
*Nay, and what marvel? Whosoever thou art that readest this, and feelest in thy heart a real desire to serve God, I warn thee, expect no liberty for thy conscience, from him that hath no conscience at all. All ungodly, unthankful, unholy men; all villains of whatever denomination, will have liberty indeed all the world over, as long as their master is _God of this world_. But expect not liberty to worship God in spirit and in truth, to practise pure and undefiled religion (unless the Lord should work a new thing in the earth) from any but those who themselves love and serve God.
9. “However, ’tis plain, you make men idle. And this tends to beggar their families.” This objection having been continually urged for some years, I will trace it from the foundation.
Two or three years after my return from _America_, one Captain _Robert Williams_ of _Bristol_, made affidavit before the (then) mayor of the city, that “it was a common report in _Georgia_, Mr. _Wesley_ took people off from their work and _made them idle_, by preaching so much.”
The fact stood thus: at my first coming to _Savannah_, the generality of the people rose at seven or eight in the morning. And that part of them who were accustomed to work, usually worked till six in the evening. A few of them sometimes worked till seven; which is the time of sun-set there at Midsummer.