Fletcher proceeds to explain and to defend Wesley’s “Minutes,” and to show they were greatly needed. He says:— “Mr. Wesley’s _design_ was to guard his preachers and their hearers against Antinomian principles and practices, which spread like wild-fire in some of his Societies; where persons, who spoke in the most glorious manner of Christ, and their interest in His complete salvation, have been found living in the greatest immoralities, or indulging in the most unchristian tempers. Nor need I go far for a proof of this sad assertion. In one of his Societies, not many miles from my parish, a married man, who professed being in _a state of justification and sanctification_, growing wise above what is written, despised his brethren as legalists, and his teachers as persons not clear in the Gospel. He instilled his principles into a serious young woman; and what was the consequence? Why, they talked about ‘finished salvation in Christ,’ and ‘the absurdity of perfection in the flesh,’ till a perfect child was conceived and born; and, to save appearances, the woman swore it to a travelling man that cannot be heard of. Thus, to avoid legality, they plunged into hypocrisy, fornication, adultery, perjury, and the depth of ranterism. Is it not hard that a minister should be traduced as guilty of _dreadful heresy_ for trying to put a stop to such dreadful practices? And is it not high time that he should cry to all that regard his warnings, ‘_Take heed to your doctrine_’?” Fletcher then proceeds to give a deplorable picture of many of the professing Christians of the age, which, it is to be hoped, was too darkly drawn, though it is difficult to prove it was. The following extract shows that many of the Methodists were not better than their neighbours, and that it was of paramount importance that Wesley’s preachers should _take heed to their doctrine_:— “Mr. Wesley has many persons in his Societies, (and would to God there were none in ours!) who profess they were justified or sanctified in a moment; but, instead of trusting in the living God, so _trust in what was done in that moment_, as to give over taking up their cross _daily_, and _watching unto prayer with all perseverance_. The consequences are deplorable: they slide back into the spirit of the world; and their tempers are no more regulated by the meek, gentle, humble love of Jesus. Some inquire with the heathens, _What shall we eat, and what shall we drink_ to please ourselves? Others evidently _love the world; lay up treasures on earth_; or ask, _Wherewith shall we be fashionably clothed?_ Therefore, _the love of the Father is not in them_. And not a few are _led captive by the devil at his will_: influenced by his unhappy suggestions, they harbour bitterness, malice, and revenge: none is in the right but themselves, and ‘wisdom shall die with them.’