18. There is one more _excuse_ for denying this work of God, taken from the _instruments_ employed therein: that is, “That they are _wicked_ men.” And a thousand stories have been handed about to prove it. But you may observe, their _wickedness_ was not heard of, till after they _went about doing good_. Their reputation for _honesty_ was till then unblemished but it was impossible it should continue so, when they were publickly employed in _testifying of the world, that its deeds were evil_. It could not be but the scriptures should be fulfilled. _The servant is not above his master. If they have called the master of the house beelzebub, how much more them of his houshold?_ * Yet I cannot but remind considerate men, in how remarkable a manner the wisdom of God has for many years guarded against this pretence, with respect to my brother and me in particular. Scarce any two men in _Great-Britain_, of our rank, have been so held out, as it were, to all the world; especially of those who from their childhood had always loved and studiously sought retirement. And I had procured what I sought, I was quite safe, as I supposed, in a little country town, when I was required to return to _Oxford_, without delay, to take the charge of some young gentlemen, by Dr. _Morley_, the only man then in _England_ to whom I could deny nothing. From that time both my brother and I (utterly against our will) came to be more and more observed and known, till we were more spoken of, than, perhaps, two so inconsiderable persons ever were before in the nation. To make us more publick still, as _honest_ madmen at least, by a strange concurrence of providences overturning all our preceding resolutions, we were hurried away to _America_. However, at our return from thence, we were resolved to retire out of the world at once; being sated with noise, hurry and fatigue, and seeking nothing but to be at rest. Indeed for a long season, the greatest pleasure I had desired, on this side eternity was Tacitum Sylvas inter reptare salubres, Quærentem quicquid dignum sapiente bonoque. And we had attained our desire. We wanted nothing. We looked for nothing more in this world, when we were dragged out again, by earnest importunity, to preach at one place and another, and another, and so carried on, we knew not how, without any design but the general one, of saving souls, into a situation, which had it been named to us at first, would have appeared far worse than death.