* 11. But I must explain myself a little on that practice, which you so often term _abusing the clergy_. I have many times great sorrow and heaviness in my heart, on account of these my brethren. And this sometimes constrains me to speak to them, in the only way which is now in my power: and sometimes (though rarely) to speak of them; of a few, not all, in general. In either case, I take an especial care, 1. To speak nothing but the truth. 2. To speak this with all plainness; and, 3. With love, and in the spirit of meekness. Now if you will call this, _abusing_, _railing_, or _reviling_, you must. But still I dare not refrain from it. I must _thus rail, thus abuse_ sinners of all sorts and degrees, unless I will perish with them.
When I first read your declaration, That our brethren _in general had treated us with all meekness and temper_, I had thoughts of spreading before you a few of the flowers which they have strewed upon us with no sparing hand. But on reflection, I judged it better to forbear. Let them die and be forgotten!
As to those of the _people_ called _Methodists_, whom you suppose to _rail at and abuse the clergy_, and to _revile_ and _censure_ their neighbours, I can only say, Which are they? Shew me the men. And if it appear, that any of those under my care, habitually _censure_ or _revile_ others, whether clergy or laity, I will make them an example, for the benefit of all the rest.
Touching _you_, I believe I was _afraid_ without cause. I do not think you advanced a _wilful untruth_. This was a rash word. I hereby openly retract it, and ask pardon of God and you.
To draw toward a conclusion. Whosoever they are that _despise me, and make no account of my labours_, I know that they are _not in vain in the Lord_, and that I have not _fought as one that beateth the air_. I still see (and I praise _the Father of lights, from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth_) a continual increase of pure religion, and undefiled, of the love of God and man, of the _wisdom_ which is _pure and peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated, full of mercy, and of good fruits_. I see more and more of those “who before lived in a thorough contempt of God’s ordinances, and of all duties, now zealously discharging their duties to God and man, and walking in all his ordinances blameless.” A few indeed I have seen draw back to perdition, chiefly through a fear of being _righteous over-much_. And here and there one has fallen into _Calvinism_, or turned aside to the _Moravians_. But I doubt not, these “are in a better state than they were before they heard us. Admit they are in error, yea and die therein, yet who dares affirm, they will perish everlastingly? But had they died in gross sin, we are sure they had fallen into _the fire that never shall be quenched_.”
I have now considered, as far as my time would permit, (not _every thing_ in your letter, _whether of moment or no_, but) those points, which I conceived to be of the greatest weight. That God may lead us both into all truth, and that we may not drop our love in the pursuit of it, is the continual prayer of,
_Reverend Sir_, _Your friend and servant for Christ’s sake_, JOHN WESLEY.
June 17, 1746.
A LETTER To the Right REVEREND the LORD BISHOP of LONDON:
Occasioned by his Lordship’s late charge to his CLERGY.
_Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles. In so doing my Maker would soon take me away._ JOB xxxiii. 21, 22.