“I say _permit_, because we ourselves have hitherto viewed it in no other light. This we are clearly satisfied we _may_ do; that we _may do more_, we are not satisfied. It is not clear to us, that presbyters, so circumstanced as we are, may _appoint_ or _ordain_ others; but it is, that we may _direct_, as well as _suffer_ them to do, what we conceive they are _moved to by the Holy Ghost_. It is true, that, in _ordinary_ cases, both an _inward_ and an _outward_ call are requisite. But we apprehend there is something far from _ordinary_ in the present case; and, upon the calmest view of things, we think, they, who are only called of God, and not of man, have _more_ right to preach than they who are only called of man, and not of God. Now that many of the clergy, though called of man, are not called of God to preach His gospel is undeniable: 1. Because they themselves utterly disclaim, nay, and ridicule the inward call. 2. Because they do not know what the gospel is: of consequence, they _do not_ and _cannot_ preach it. “This, at present, is my chief embarrassment. That I have not gone too far yet, I know; but whether I have gone far enough, I am extremely doubtful. I see those running whom God hath not sent; destroying their own souls, and those that hear them. Unless I warn, in all ways I can, these perishing souls of their danger, am I clear of the blood of these men? Soul damning clergymen lay me under more difficulties than soul saving laymen! “Those among ourselves, who have been in doubt, whether they ought so to beware of these false prophets, as not to hear them at all, are not men of a ‘forward, uncharitable zeal;’ but of a calm, loving, temperate spirit. They are perfectly easy as to their own call to preach; but they are sometimes afraid, that the countenancing these blind guides is a dead weight even on those clergymen who are really called of God. ‘Why else,’ say they, ‘does not God bless their labours?’ We know several regular clergymen who preach the genuine gospel, but to no effect at all. There is one exception in England: Mr. Walker, of Truro. We do not know one more, who has converted one soul in his own parish. If it be said, ‘Has not Mr. Grimshaw and Mr. Baddiley?’ No, not one, till they were _irregular_: till both the one and the other formed _irregular_ societies, and took in laymen to assist them. Can there be a stronger proof that God is pleased with _irregular_, even more than with _regular_ preaching?”[236] No apology is needed for the insertion of these long extracts. In these days,—when the reunion, amalgamation, or absorption of the Methodists with the Church of England, is exciting so much attention, they deserve to be read with more than ordinary interest. A recurrence to the subject will often be necessary; but, for the present, we must leave it, and track the footsteps of Wesley during the remainder of the year 1755.